Poll: 34 Percent Want a Chancellor Merkel

The fight between the Social Democrats (SPD) and the Christian Democratic/Christian Social Union bloc (CDU/CSU) over who will be future chancellor is apparently benefiting the conservatives, according to a poll by the n-tv news channel. A survey commissioned by the broadcaster and carried out by the Forsa polling group found that 34 percent of those asked wanted CDU leader Angela Merkel to move into the chancellery, a rise in five percentage points from the previous week. Current Chancellor Gerhard Schröder had the support of 26 percent of those polled. More than a fifth, 22 percent, would rather have someone else entirely take the leadership reigns.