Fourth term as chancellor looks well within Angela Merkel’s reach
Three weeks before elections, Angela Merkel appeared to be powering ahead on Monday to a possible fourth term as chancellor of Germany, after her rival Martin Schulz failed to halt her advance in a crucial televised debate. Sunday’s prime-time TV clash had been billed as Schulz’s last chance to sway millions to his cause and halt a devastating popularity slide. But polls following the 90-minute showdown gave Merkel the clear edge over Schulz, a former European parliament chief. "Merkel came out as sure, Schulz was hardly able to land a punch. The candidate is an honourable man. But being honourable alone won’t make one chancellor," wrote Sueddeutsche daily commentator Heribert Prantl. With millions of voters still undecided, Schulz had been looking to the debate to erode the commanding 17-percentage point lead of Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union party (CDU) and their Bavarian CSU allies ahead of the September 24 polls. Schulz, who had previously complained that Merkel was lulling...
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