German Challenger Gains an Edge

BERLIN -- Chancellor Angela Merkel and her challenger,authentic jordan shoes  Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, clashed over executive greed, nuclear energy and minimum wages in their only head-to-head debate before Germany's Sept. 27 elections.

 

Mr. Steinmeier, the left-leaning Social Democrats' candidate for chancellor, appeared to have swayed more undecided voters than Ms. Merkel, according to early surveys of those who watched the TV debate. That could increase the chances that the Social Democrats will achieve enough votes to remain in a coalition with Ms. Merkel's right-leaning Christian Democrats.

Ms. Merkel is strong favorite to remain head of Germany's government, but the shape of her next coalition is wide open. Her conservative Christian Democrats are hoping to form a new, right-leaning alliance with the pro-business Free Democrats.

Germany only began having such televised debates in 2002, as elections in the country are primarily fought between parties rather than individual candidates. However, kids jordan shoes in that election and later in 2005, the TV duels had a significant influence. The Merkel-Steinmeier debate was expected to draw as many as 20 million viewers, or nearly a quarter of the country's population.

The election in Germany, the world's fourth-biggest economy and the European Union's most populous nation, could influence how the country plots its way back to economic growth after suffering its deepest recession of the postwar era since last year.