2013 German Elections - Angela Merkel and Peer Steinbrueck TV Debate Sunday Sep 1,2013

With three weeks to go before the  Sep 22,2013 vote, the two candidates were grilled by four journalists before an estimated TV audience of up to 20 million on Sunday Sep 1,2013

Peer Steinbrueck, who was Angela Merkel's Finance Minister in the 2005-09 "grand coalition" between left and right, attacked her handling of the European debt crisis.
"I would have followed a different crisis strategy. Of course there must be budget consolidation in these countries, but not a deadly dose," he said.

"You voted for everything," Angela Merkel retorted, pointing out that the SPD had supported her policies in parliament

The debate between Angela Merkel and Peer Steinbrueck lasted 90 minutes


A snap poll for Germany's RTL television declared Merkel a narrow winner of the debate, while an ARD TV poll suggested Mr Steinbrueck had been more convincing


German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Conservative Coalition is reckoned to be leading Peer Steinbrueck's Social Democrats (SPD) by around 15 points (40% to 25%)

Angela Merkel is hoping to continue her governing alliance with the liberal Free Democrats (FDP).

Peer Steinbrueck has said he will not enter a grand coalition with Angela  Merkel's Christian Democrats but  would prefer to go into coalition with the Green Party