Could Schulz win? German poll offers Merkel challenger hope

Could Germany’s election deliver a surprise? Seeking a fourth term in office, Angela Merkel is widely expected to be returned to power when the country makes its choice on September 24. But a new opinion poll indicates that almost half of German voters are still undecided – said to be the highest share of ‘don’t knows’ this close to an election for 20 years. That should be music to the ears of the Chancellor’s centre-left challenger Martin Schulz. Your guide to possible coalitions in the German election https://t.co/qd5fzCUlXO pic.twitter.com/HMWnS8Wdbd— Bloomberg (@business) 21 août 2017 Former European Parliament President Schulz’s SPD is trailing some 15 points behind Merkel’s conservatives. So the prospect of a ‘hidden vote’ could reignite his campaign. But there is a twist in the tale… the same poll in the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper says some 45 percent of voters think victory for Merkel is already a foregone conclusion. Disillusion with politics? Well, a record 42 parties are standing in the German election. 16 are running for the first time. #GermanyDecides pic.twitter.com/LNK51Q3Urc— DW | Politics (@dw_politics) 22 août 2017 with Reuters