Berlin - Germany's Social Democrats (SPD) have closed the gap on Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives ahead of a general election next week, according to a new opinion poll available Friday. A survey by the research group Infratest dimap showed the SPD gaining 3 per cent to 26 per cent, while Merkel's Christian Democrats remained unchanged at 35 per cent.
Analysts said the SPD benefited from a better-than-expected performance by their candidate for the chancellorship, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, in a televised debate with Merkel on Sunday.
The CDU and SPD have governed in a grand coalition for the past four years, but Merkel hopes to ditch her rival after the September 27 election in favour of the free-market Free Democrats (FDP).
The survey showed the FDP remaining unchanged at 14 per cent, giving them and the CDU a total of 49 per cent, marginally short of a majority to form a new government after next week's vote.
The environmentalist Greens saw their support dip 2 per cent to 10 per cent, while the hardline Left Party, made up of former East German communists and disgruntled Social Democrats, slipped back to 11 per cent.
Asked who they would prefer as chancellor, 53 per cent of the respondents said Merkel, with 30 per cent opting for Steinmeier. The same survey conducted a week ago gave Merkel a lead of 55 per cent to 23 per cent.
Some 1,250 persons were questioned in the survey, which was conducted for the ARD television network.
