GERMANY: Chancellor Angela Merkel's main challenger in upcoming general elections Peer Steinbrueck makes final push for victory

Record ID: 214056

  • Title: GERMANY: Chancellor Angela Merkel's main challenger in upcoming general elections Peer Steinbrueck makes final push for victory
  • Date: 20th September 2013
  • Summary: KASSEL, GERMANY (SEPTEMBER 20, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SOCIAL DEMOCRAT (SPD) SUPPORTERS APPLAUDING AT SPD RALLY SPD CHANCELLOR CANDIDATE, PEER STEINBRUECK, AND SPD TOP CANDIDATE IN HESSE STATE ELECTION, THORSTEN SCHÄFER-GÃœMBEL, WAVING TO CROWD FROM STAGE PEOPLE HOLDING UP PRO-SPD POSTERS CAMERAMEN STEINBRUECK AND SCHÄFER-GÃœMBEL GESTURING TO CROWD WIDE OF STEINBRUECK AND SCHÄFER-GÃœMBEL ON STAGE AUDIENCE APPLAUDING (SOUNDBITE) (German) SPD CHANCELLOR CANDIDATE, PEER STEINBRUECK, SAYING: "To be exact, dear Thorsten, in 47 hours you can be rid of the most inactive, backward, quarrelling but most grandiose government since reunification." FEMALE AUDIENCE MEMBER SMILING (SOUNDBITE) (German) SPD CHANCELLOR CANDIDATE, PEER STEINBRUECK, SAYING. "The 'we' decides, not the huge number of elbows. And for that, I ask for your trust this Sunday, 22nd September. Thank you". AUDIENCE MEMBER STANDING AND TAKING PHOTOGRAPH STEINBRUECK WAVING TO CROWD, WAVING HIS HANDS WIDE OF SPD TEAM ON STAGE CLOSE OF HAND HOLDING "PEER STEINBRUECK" POSTER STEINBRUECK SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS
  • Embargoed: 5th October 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Germany
  • Country: Germany
  • Topics: General,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEOTZYIMUW5SZKNPY632WV9NM3
  • Story Text: Germany's main opposition candidate, Social Democrat Peer Steinbrueck, passionately appealed for votes at a party campaign rally in Kassel, Hesse, on Friday (September 20) evening, as the window of opportunity to seize victory over Angela Merkel's ruling coalition in the country's impending federal elections narrowed.
    Steinbrueck seemed his usual jocular self, raising two fingers in a victory sign to members of the crowd, but followed up the jokes with a strong appeal to voters.
    "In 47 hours you can be rid of the most inactive, backward, quarrelling but most grandiose government since reunification," he said to his supporters, who were gathered around the circular stage.
    "The 'we' decides, not the huge number of elbows," he continued. "And for that, I ask for your trust this Sunday, 22nd September".
    It is highly unlikely Steinbrueck will become chancellor, but his Social Democrat party could end up forming a grand coalition with Merkel's CDU.
    Opinion polls on Friday showed a combined leftist opposition in a dead heat with Merkel's conservatives and their Free Democrat (FDP) coalition partners on 45 percent each, while a third poll showed Merkel's coalition a point ahead of Steinbrueck's SPD and its potential allies on the left by 45 percent to 44.
    Sunday's vote is bound to be a close one, with the uncertain performance of smaller parties making the election in Europe's largest economy too close to call.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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