This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/europe/8253115.stm

The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Merkel to face rival in TV debate German poll rivals in TV debate
(about 11 hours later)
There are exactly two weeks to go before Germans go to the polls in a national election. German Chancellor Angela Merkel has appeared with her main rival in a TV debate, two weeks ahead of an election.
On Sunday evening Chancellor Angela Merkel squares up to her main rival Frank Walter Steinmeier in a live 90-minute TV debate. Mrs Merkel and Frank Walter Steinmeier, the Foreign Minister, discussed nuclear power, executive pay and the idea of a minimum wage.
Twenty million Germans are expected to watch the encounter. The two leaders have been in a coalition for the past four years.
Opinion polls ahead of the duel suggest that Mrs Merkel's centre-right bloc will get enough votes in the election to allow her to remain chancellor. Mrs Merkel wants her conservative CDU party to jettison Mr Steinmeier's centre-left SPD as a partner, in favour of the liberal Free Democrats (FDP).
Mr Steinmeier has his work cut out to ensure that, at the very least, his Social Democratic Party stays on as junior partner in the government. Opinion polls suggest the CDU is on course to win enough votes for Mrs Merkel to stay on as chancellor.
Ally to adversary Correspondents say few major areas of disagreement emerged during the 90-minute debate.
On the face of it, Merkel v Steinmeier does not make for gripping television. Neither of the candidates for chancellor is known for being particularly charismatic or telegenic, correspondents say.
First, neither of the candidates for chancellor is known for being particularly charismatic or telegenic. We can continue decisively on this path but preferably with a new government Angela MerkelGerman Chancellor
Mr Steinmeier (right) needs his campaign to regain momentum Watched by a TV audience expected to number 20 million, the leaders discussed Afghanistan, the global financial crisis and nuclear power.
But, more crucially, even though the two political heavyweights are fighting it out now, for the last four years they have been rubbing shoulders in the cabinet room.
Their parties have been sharing power and responsibility in a grand coalition - taking joint decisions on everything from health care reform to how to tackle the financial crisis.
That is why landing political punches on each other live on TV will not be easy. But that is exactly what Mr Steinmeier must do. And fast.
His Social Democratic Party is languishing in the polls - surveys suggest the SDP is at least 12% behind Mrs Merkel's centre-right bloc.
Mrs Merkel benefits from being the chancellor right now.Mrs Merkel benefits from being the chancellor right now.
She is best placed to take the credit for everything that has gone right recently for Germany, like the country exiting recession, and General Motors agreeing to sell Opel to the Canadian car parts supplier Magna - the very deal the German government had been seeking.She is best placed to take the credit for everything that has gone right recently for Germany, like the country exiting recession, and General Motors agreeing to sell Opel to the Canadian car parts supplier Magna - the very deal the German government had been seeking.
Mrs Merkel is hoping that after the election, she will be able to ditch Mr Steinmeier's SPD as junior partner, and form a new government with the FDP - the pro-business Free Democrats. Mrs Merkel said she could return the country to prior prosperity if she changed coalition partner.
"We can continue decisively on this path but preferably with a new government," she said.
On nuclear policy, the two leaders differed.
Former Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder decided to mothball Germany's nuclear reactors by about 2020, but Mrs Merkel said the question remained about whether nuclear energy would be needed for longer.
"It is, in my view, extremely important that we change to renewable energy and efficient energy as soon as possible... but all renewable energies are subsidised... and therefore I say [nuclear energy] would be a bridging technology but only until viable renewable energies really allow this changeover."
She was criticised by Mr Steinmeier, who said: "It is not responsible, and it is politically wrong to go back down the road of nuclear energy - because that is what we are really talking about here."
The Duel
He warned that if nuclear energy was extended, then investment in renewable energy would end.
Opinion polls suggest the Social Democratic Party is at least 12% behind Mrs Merkel's centre-right bloc.
Immediately after the debate - named The TV Duel - surveys suggested there was no clear winner.
Broadcaster ZDF suggested 31% of respondents believed Mr Steinmeier had won, and 28% said Mrs Merkel.
A Forsa poll suggested 37% said Mr Merkel was the winner, against 35% her rival.