GERMANY: Foreign minister and chancellor candidate Frank-Walter Steinmeier vows to fight for every vote

Record ID: 212742

  • Title: GERMANY: Foreign minister and chancellor candidate Frank-Walter Steinmeier vows to fight for every vote
  • Date: 26th September 2009
  • Summary: SPD SUPPORTERS SEATED AT BERLIN'S LANDMARK, BRANDENBURG GATE, APPLAUDING STEINMEIER (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER AND CHANCELLOR CANDIDATE OF THE SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY (SPD), FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER SAYING: "We've caught up, we've fought and anyone who catches up can also overtake, dear friends." SPD SUPPORTERS APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER AND CHANCELLOR CANDIDATE OF THE SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY (SPD), FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER SAYING: "I firmly believe that this country dan do better. I believe in it and that's why I am standing here. I am ready. You be it too, please." STEINMEIER ON STAGE (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER AND CHANCELLOR CANDIDATE OF THE SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY (SPD), FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER SAYING: "I am proud of the SPD. I am proud to fight for this party, ladies and gentlemen." SPD SUPPORTERS APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE) (German) GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER AND CHANCELLOR CANDIDATE OF THE SOCIAL DEMOCRAT PARTY (SPD), FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER SAYING: "Mrs. Merkel reached a decision: she wants black and yellow (CDU/CSU coalition with the FDP), a return to the 1990s and this return simply means tax reductions for just a few and social cutbacks for many. I am telling you: this will tear our country apart and we must avoid that and that's what we are fighting for. Please help in reaching this goal." SPD PARTY LEADER FRANZ MUENTEFERING (ON LEFT) AND SPD FLOOR LEADER PETER STRUCK APPLAUDING ON STAGE SPD SUPPORTERS APPLAUDING WIDE OF STEINMEIER WAVING ON STAGE
  • Embargoed: 11th October 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3UGADIZZRNDZ6DWUKK9KZKGUJ
  • Story Text: German Foreign Minister and chancellor candidate of the Social Democrat (SPD) party vows to fight to the last second for every vote in Sunday's federal election.
    In one of his most forceful speeches of the German election campaign, Foreign Minister and chancellor candidate Frank-Walter Steinmeier vowed on Friday evening (September 25) to fight to the last second for every vote.
    Chancellor Angela Merkel's hopes of forming a new centre-right government suffered a blow on Friday, two days before the federal election, as a new opinion poll showed her just short of her goal.
    While she attended a G20 summit in Pittsburgh, her Social Democrat (SPD) challenger Steinmeier delivered a rousing speech to thousands of supporters at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate, telling them "I firmly believe that this country can do better."

    "I believe in it and that's why I am standing here. I am ready."
    A Forsa poll showed 26 percent of voters were still undecided, suggesting Germany could be in for another cliffhanger election.
    Merkel's conservatives saw a similar poll lead nearly vanish on election day four years ago when Steinmeier's mentor, then-Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, mounted a furious comeback in the final days before the vote.
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