MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th January, 2021) A fresh poll published Monday found that German voters preferred Bavarian Minister-president Markus Soeder to run for chancellor over new Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Leader Armin Laschet.
The CDU and sister party Christian Social Union (CSU), which Soeder leads, run together in elections and field one candidate for the chancellery and avoid nominating rival candidates for legislative seats.
A survey of 2,000 voters conducted by pollster Forsa and ordered by broadcaster RTL found that Soeder claimed 36 percent of the vote while Laschet garnered 21 percent, while the rest went to other conservative luminaries.
Splitting respondents by allegiance still shows a tilt toward Soeder. Among CSU supporters, 69 percent preferred the Bavarian chief against 13 percent for Laschet, and CDU supporters showed a 51 percent preference for Soeder to the new party boss' 25 percent.
The survey was conducted on January 16 and 17 after Laschet ascended to CDU party leadership among 2,014 voting-age respondents and has a margin of error not exceeding 2.5 percent.
Laschet was elected to lead the CDU over the weekend by party delegates. He was minister-president of Germany's most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia and regional party chief.
Speculations over the Christian alliance's candidate have been abound since longtime Chancellor Angela Merkel said she would not stand for office again come September 2021 general elections and relinquished her CDU leadership.
German voters do not elect chancellors directly, rather the position is occupied by the leader of the party victorious in the general elections.
