Schroeder, Merkel aim for lift from Dresden

Merkel’s conservative CDU won three seats more than Chancellor Schroeder’s SDP in the national vote and hope to hold that margin on Sunday. Neither side won a majority in the 613-seat Parliament. People in the Dresden district were voting two weeks after the rest of the country because the poll there was postponed due to the death of a candidate.

The hung Parliament has pushed the two main parties to explore joining forces in a ‘‘grand coalition’’ and financial markets have warmed to the prospect, believing it well suited to mastering the country’s various economic woes. But the negotiations could take months and may never get off the ground because both Merkel and Schroeder are insisting they should lead the next government. The CDU and SPD could, in theory, form separate three-way alliances with smaller parties.

Because of Germany’s complex system, the Dresden vote could wipe out the CDU’s Parliamentary lead only if the SPD wins 140,000 votes more than the CDU. The district has only 219,000 voters and a 140,000-vote margin of victory is seen as virtually impossible.

That has not stopped the rivals from campaigning in the district in Dresden, 200 km south of Berlin. Merkel and Schroeder attacked each other as unqualified to lead Germany at separate campaign on Friday. —Reuters