Word: spd
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...thumbs-up sign, gave a pugnacious and impassioned speech about his government's record, then exited to loud applause with his hands clasped over his head like a boxer who's delivered a knockout blow. From this bravura performance, you'd think Schr?der and his Social Democratic Party (SPD) were coasting to victory in the Sept. 18 elections. In fact, the SPD trails the Christian Democrats (CDU) and its sister party, the CSU, by 13 points, and virtually every editorialist in Germany has written the Chancellor...
...There's little to suggest that Schr?der can pull off a third straight election victory. The SPD has clawed back some ground?it notched up one percentage point in the polls, from 29% to 30%?and the Chancellor himself got a Nobel Peace Prize nomination last week for his opposition to the war in Iraq. But none of the other signs are good. The party hasn't been able to capitalize on the CDU's rocky first few weeks of campaigning. Unemployment is still at a record high and a recent uptick in economic growth may have come too late...
...part by focusing on the CDU's plans for tax and health-care reform, which it says will benefit more affluent Germans and disadvantage poorer ones. "We have to make it clear to voters how unjust the CDU's program is," says Andrea Nahles, a leader of the SPD left wing...
...Even if a lot of undecideds start leaning his way, Schr?der still has to contend with left-wing dissidents in the SPD. Their opposition to his economic reforms crippled his government, leading him to gamble on early elections in the first place. Germany's new left-wing alliance, the Linksb?ndnis, is exploiting unhappiness with reform to siphon off crucial support from the SPD. In response, Schr?der announced an increase in benefits for the long-term unemployed in eastern Germany and has agreed to a wealth tax on people earning over ?250,000 a year...
...Still, it may be too little, too late. Gregor Gysi, co-founder of the Linksb?ndnis, says the SPD platform will only further weaken workers' rights without strengthening the economy. The Chancellor "is saying farewell in a comfortable sort of way," Gysi, an east German, says. "My impression is that he's relieved that it's coming to an end." Gysi's not alone in that view. Even some of Schr?der's most ardent supporters fear that the cheers resounding at his public appearances may be the sound of his last hurrahs...