SPIEGEL survey: SPD scores with supporters with chief casting

In the sports hall in Friedberg, Hesse, the candidates for the SPD presidency must hurry today if they want the undivided attention of the guests. At 18.30, the next regional conference will begin, at which the candidates will present themselves at the base. From 20.45 clock but the German national team in Belfast against Northern Ireland must compete. The important European Championship qualifier is televised live - and politics often have a hard time against football.

So far, the SPD organizers of the casting shows for the party chairmanship could not complain about a lack of support. The first four of the total of 23 regional conferences were well attended: in Saarbrücken 700 comrades were counted in Hanover 850, to Bernburg (Saale) were far more interested than chairs were available - the Bürgerzentrum Neue Vahr in Bremen on Sunday it was also right full.

So the interest is big in the party. But how do the casting shows get to the voter? "Has the application process for the SPD chairmanship influenced your image of the party so far for the better or the worse?" Asked the online opinion research institute Civey on behalf of SPIEGEL.

The result of the survey is quite gratifying for the SPD. For clearly more than 50 percent of their own supporters evaluated the selection process for the party presidency positive. The statistical error rate is relatively high at 6.5% in this survey - but the trend is clear. Because only twelve percent of the SPD supporters rate the application process negative.

If one leaves the party preference outside, the result for the SPD is much worse. More than 50 percent state that the casting shows negatively influenced the party's image. Only just under 18 percent have a positive opinion (statistical error rate: 2.5 percent).

At the weekend, the former SPD leader and ex-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder had expressed rather skeptical about the selection process. "This tedious form of leadership is not mine," said Schröder.

In the Sunday question, the SPD was able to gain slightly. She has overtaken the AfD. The CDU and CSU continued to expand their lead, the Greens also improved and are still in second place.