Angela Merkel facing huge embarrassment as her party set for election loss – poll

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New polling has given the centre-left Social Democrats a lead over Christian Democrats just a month out from the election that will decide on Germany’s first new leader in 16 years. The Insa survey for Bild TV showed support for the SPD and Olaf Scholz, their candidate for the top job, jumped by two percent to 25 percent. This is centre-left outfit’s highest reading in the survey in four years and sets up the prospect of a socialist-led coalition government.

Mrs Merkel’s CDU/CSU and their top candidate Armin Laschet lost three points to reach a record low of 20 percent.

The Greens were placed at 16.5 percent, the pro-business FDP at 13.5 percent, the far-right AfD continued to track behind the leaders at 11 percent and far-left Die Linke were at seven percent.

Insa boss Hermann Blinkert said Mr Laschet would only be able to become chancellor by forming a three-way coalition.

It would consist of the black conservatives, the Greens and yellow FDP.

Mr Blinkert added: “Olaf Scholz would have four options in which to lead the government.”

The pollster said this would several options that could force the conservatives out of government.

One option would be a so-called “traffic light” coalition with the Greens and FDP or a more left-leaning coalition with the Greens and Die Like.

But the SPD could also welcome the CDU and CSU back into government as junior partners with a centre-left coalition supported by the conservatives and FPD.

Allies of Mr Laschet, who is the leader of Mrs Merkel’s CDU party, have rallied around the politician but he has repeatedly been criticised for poor performances on the campaign trail.

Most recently he was forced to go on the offensive after struggling to bolster their campaign in a televised debates with rivals.

Mr Laschet was judged to have lost the heated televised debate, a snap poll suggested.

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The survey, by pollsters Forsa, found that 36 percent of people believed the SPD’s Mr Scholz won, ahead of the Greens candidate Annalena Baerbock on 30 percent and 25 percent for Mr Laschet.

The CDU chief has been under fire since he was caught on camera laughing during a visit last month to a flood-stricken town.

German health minister and CDU member Jens Spahn said: “We have to fight for the next four weeks.”

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He rejected the prospect of replacing his ally Mr Laschet in favour of Bavarian leader Markus Soeder, who narrowly lost out in the race to become the conservative’s candidate for chancellor.

Mr Spahn said: “You don’t change the coach during the game.”

The Insa poll points to a remarkable fall from grace for the CDU after 16 years in office and four straight federal election victories under Mrs Merkel.

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