In a straight race between the two most popular candidates to fill Germany’s top political office, long-time member of the European Parliament and enthusiastic EU acolyte Martin Schulz would beat incumbent Angela Merkel, according to a new poll.
A Schulz victory could upset the balance of power in Europe, and rock Germany which has been ruled by the centre-right Christian Democrats (CDU) for 12 years.
While the latest figures from German pollsters indicate the ruling CDU remain fractionally ahead, enjoying a significantly reduced majority which has dropped as much as ten points in a year, in a presidential style rather than federal election the left-wing Schulz would win. Welt reports some 49 per cent of Germans opted for Schulz, whereas just 38 per cent wanted Merkel to stay on, a six-point fall in just two weeks.
The latest figures follow an earlier direct-choice survey which found Merkel falling behind on 34 per cent, while EU veteran Schulz enjoyed 50 per cent support. Breitbart London reported on Monday on a poll that found deep-set dissatisfaction with the chancellor who is widely seen as one of the key architects of Europe’s migrant crisis. The research found that some 64 per cent said they wanted a new chancellor, without specifying exactly who.
While Mrs. Merkel trails behind, her party remains fractionally more popular. Barring a shock result, the CDU is likely to come out of the election as the largest party. Despite that advantage, her group of MPs will be far short of the number required to govern outright, leaving her to either reform the coalition with Schulz’s socialist party or even face being relegated to opposition against a left-wing coalition.
The potential for Mr. Schulz to become the next German chancellor is a remarkable one for a politician who has never held a major elected office in Germany. A one-time city mayor, the Social Democrat arch-Europhile has spent over 20 years in the European Parliament, serving for a time as president. Although he has concentrated on European politics for most of his career, Mr. Schulz enjoys good name recognition in Germany and has reversed the flagging ratings of his party since taking charge of the campaign.
A Schulz-led German government could have major ramifications, not only for Germany — already one of the most pro-open borders nations in Europe — but also for Britain. As the United Kingdom negotiates to leave the European Union, a shift in the Eurozone’s largest economy to a more bullishly Federalist and pro-Brussels government could complicate matters.