Most Germans Disapprove of Chancellor Schröder's Reforms

More than 64 percent of Germans disapprove of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder's far-reaching social reforms package, otherwise known as the Agenda 2010, according to a ZDF-Politbarometer poll released on Friday. Despite the fact that 95 percent believe the social welfare system is deeply troubled, Germans' disapproval of the reforms has risen dramatically over the last months, climbing by ten percent alone since February. In addition, the poll shows that most Germans believe pensioners have been particularly affected by the reforms: 66 percent believe retired people are most affected, while 81 percent of the pensioners themselves believe they have been disproportionately affected. As a result, the ruling coalition of Social Democrats (SPD) and Greens continues to see its approval ratings fall, compared to the opposition Christian Democrats (CDU). Figures just published by Wahlen, a Mannheim-based polling institution, show that if an election were held next Sunday, 48 percent would vote for the CDU and its Bavarian sister party the CSU, while the SPD and the Greens would get just 29 and 10 percent of the vote respectively.