Abstract: Aqueous dispersion for the chemical-mechanical polishing of metal surfaces, containing a metal oxide powder and a cationic, surface-active polymer, wherein the metal oxide powder is silicon dioxide, aluminium oxide or a mixed oxide of silicon dioxide and aluminium oxide, and the cationic, surface-active polymer is a polyallyl amine or polydiallyl amine dissolved in the dispersion and having a weight average molecular weight of less than 100,000 g/mol. The dispersion can be used for the chemical-mechanical polishing of metallic layers and of metallic films, which are applied to an insulating barrier layer.