It was the last televised debate before the D-Day of the federal elections in Germany. The six contending parties and their candidates to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel clashed on many topics: economy, climate and once is not customary, on foreign policy The strengthening of the European Union vis-à-vis China and the United States was at the heart of the words of the three main candidates of the SPD, the CDU and the Greens.
For Olaf Scholz, candidate of the Social Democratic Party SPD, “it is very important that we affirm that there are principles which are important for us, in particular a strong European Union, because otherwise we would have no role to play. But that also includes cooperation with the United States, especially when it becomes as critical as it is today, and of course, that also includes cooperation within NATO. “
Armin Laschet, a candidate for the CDU-CSU Conservative Party, argued:
“We need more Europe, we need to speak with one voice, we need to launch joint projects, including armaments projects, in order to be able to act when the States- United will withdraw. “
As for Annalena Baerbock, candidate for the Chancellery for the Greens, she wants to open a new European chapter:
“I would like to make sure that we come to a common European policy towards China, that we are not pitted against each other, so that in the competition between these systems, we make it clear that we we are Europe. We have our own strategic sovereignty and that means finally opening a new chapter in European foreign policy and human rights. “
The gap has narrowed further between the Social Democrats of Olaf Scholz, slightly in the lead with 25% of the voting intentions, and the Christian Democrats of Armin Laschet, credited with 23%, a historically low score (poll of 23/09 for the public channel ZDF).
But a few hours before Sunday’s ballot, 89% of Germans would agree that they have had enough of this electoral campaign and that it is time to make up their minds …
Reference-feedproxy.google.com