Germany enters Merkel-era home stretch with final debate

The Minister of Finance and Social Democratic Vice-Chancellor Olaf Scholz He has emerged, according to the polls, in the two previous debates, presenting himself as a calm and experienced manager, essential qualities for the Germans.

The conservative Armin Laschet, who is considered to be Merkel’s natural heir, was combative in the home stretch after a failed start to the campaign.

Laschet, unpopular, never succeeded in regaining the initiative: his formation, and also that of Merkel, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) allied with the Bavarian CSU, is placed according to the polls between 20 and 22% of ‘intention to vote, against 25 to 26% for the Social Democrats of the SPD

The Greens and their leader, Annalena baerbock, who was first all the rage before making several errors attributed to her inexperience, is currently between 15 and 17%, a figure that seems to keep this lawyer away from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

However, surprises cannot be ruled out. 40% of German voters still do not know who they are voting foraccording to a study by the Allensbach Institute. Added to this are the margins of error in the polls and the large part this year – due to the pandemic – of postal voting.

Environmentalists should in any case play a crucial role in forming a coalition government, probably made up of three parties.

The debate, broadcast at 8:15 p.m. (3:15 p.m. Argentina time) on private networks ProSieben, Kabeleins and Sat1, will give Armin Laschet, 60, one last chance to beat Olaf Scholz, 63.

And thus avoid a shift of his conservative party towards the opposition, as the polls predict.

Angela Merkel, who will leave politics after 16 years in power, and who is still very popular, initially stayed out of the countryside before helping Laschet. The Chancellor still participates with him in many gatherings.

“This should be beneficial to him,” said political scientist Karl-Rudolf Korte of the University of Duisburg, “as well as to all those who have chosen in recent years to be close to Merkel”.

But whatever the outcome of the election, the conservative camp is bracing for a historically low result, which could cast a shadow over Angela Merkel’s financial results.

And internal account adjustments have already started: German politician, very influential German Minister of Finance between 2009 and 2017, accused him of having weakened the CDU, in an interview this Sunday in Tagesspiegel, of having, according to him, poorly prepared his succession.