Merkel ahead as Schulz fails to land knock-out punch in sole debate

– ‘Stiff and dowdy’ –

But for the minor skirmishes, commentators lamented it was more of a “duet than a duel” in the spirit of the right-left “grand coalition” Merkel has led since 2013.

“That wasn’t a TV debate, it was a torturous 90-minute grand coalition therapy discussion,” said Dietmar Bartsch, a candidate from the far-left Die Linke.

“Nothing on climate, nothing on education, nothing on digitalisation,” Greens party leader Cem Ozdemir tweeted during the event. “When will they start talking about the future?”

Opinion polls following the programme showed a clear victory for Merkel, with public broadcaster ARD saying 55 percent found her more convincing while 35 percent plumped for Schulz.

An ZDF survey was closer but still had Merkel ahead with 32 percent, against 29 percent who thought Schulz performed better.

Merkel “appeared to be more competent than in any previous duel. She was not brilliant, but sure. Schulz, on the other hand, was so stiff and dowdy, like Merkel was in previous duels,” wrote Prantl.

Munich’s Merkur daily also noted that “in an increasingly uncertain world which is led by testosterone-filled leaders, people don’t know what Schulz wants. But they know what Merkel can do.”

Members of Merkel’s party feted the results, with Julia Kloeckner tweeting: “Angela Merkel: Stateswoman. Schulz: election candidate.”

But Schulz’s Social Democrats equally applauded the man who is known to be a fiery orator.

Manuela Schwesig, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania state premier, said: “Martin Schulz has shown that he can be chancellor.”

Sunday’s so-called “television duel” between the election campaign’s two leading candidates was the dramatic high point of Germany’s sleepy electoral campaign season.

Having already fought three previous general elections, the famously cautious Merkel is no stranger to the TV format.

But this was the first time that she has prevailed, with surveys immediately after each of the previous three editions showing a popularity bounce for her opponents.