A slim majority of Germans would like the Social Democrats (SPD), junior partners in Angela Merkel’s coalition, to leave the government, with only the supporters of the chancellor’s own conservatives keen for them to stay, a poll showed.

The survey, conducted by pollster Civey for news portal t-online.de, strengthens the hand of the SPD’s more radical wing, who say that the party has no chance of recovering from a series of catastrophic election results while it remains in government.

The poll of 5,098 people between Oct. 28 and Oct. 30, found some 52 percent of Germans thought the SPD should leave the coalition after Merkel announced she would resign as chairwoman of her Christian Democrats but remain in office as chancellor.

The SPD’s departure would deprive Merkel’s conservative bloc of its parliamentary majority.

(REUTERS)