Support for Germany's Social Democrats edging up in latest poll

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) are gradually making up ground ahead of expected elections in late February, having gained one percentage point for 17% support, a new poll commissioned by the Bild tabloid showed on Saturday.

The conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), along with their Bavarian sister party, the CSU, remain in the lead on 31%, one percentage point down on the week, the Insa poll of 1,203 respondents taken between December 9 and 13 found.

Three weeks ago, the CDU/CSU bloc was 18 percentage points ahead. That lead is now down to 14.

The Greens, the only remaining party in Scholz's coalition government, are down one percentage point at 11%.

Meanwhile the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), which left the coalition in early November after Scholz fired FDP leader Christian Lindner as finance minister, is up one percentage point at 5%, just clearing the threshold to enter parliament.

The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) was also up a percentage point at 20%, placing it second behind the CDU/CSU. Despite this support, the party is unlikely to be part of a governing coalition, as all other parties refuse cooperation with the AfD.

The new populist Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) was stable at 8%, while The Left party was down a point at 3%, looking unlikely to make the cut.

Following the collapse of his coalition government, Scholz is to put a confidence vote to parliament on Monday that he is expected to lose. He will then ask President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to call early elections for February 23.