Legislative in Germany: Merkel flies to the aid of the conservative candidate in difficulty

German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her runner-up Armin Laschet at the kick-off of the CDU / CSU campaign for the parliamentary elections, in Berlin, on August 21, 2021. REUTERS - ANNEGRET HILSE

Text by: RFI Follow

3 min

Angela Merkel participated this Saturday, August 21 in an electoral rally of her party in Berlin.

While the CDU is lagging behind in the polls, it has decided to use all its weight to support its candidate Armin Laschet.

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With our correspondent in Berlin,

Nathalie Versieux

Angela Merkel had promised not to intervene in the electoral campaign.

The first Chancellor not to run for her own succession since the end of the war, she opened the door to an unprecedented campaign, which would pit the president of her Christian Democratic Party against

Armin Laschet

, the Social Democratic Minister of Finance Olaf Scholz and the green

Annalena Baerbock

.

Saturday in Berlin, Angela Merkel clearly supported the conservative Laschet, broken down in the polls: "

 It has always been important for him, on the basis of our Christian values, to always place the individual and inalienable dignity of each human being. at the center of everything.

Dear Armin, I know that this is exactly what directs your action, as candidate for the chancellery of the CDU-CSU, and I am convinced of it, as chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany. 

"

The SPD candidate judged to be the most competent in the opinion

In fact, the candidate's campaign is slipping.

His party is no longer credited with 23% of the voting intentions, followed by the SPD and the Greens.

In question, the blunders of the candidate Laschet which made him lose 13 points in the polls since the beginning of the year.

To read also: 

Floods in Germany: the laughter of the conservative candidate Armin Laschet goes badly

Criticized even in his camp, Armin Laschet is struggling to go up the slope, while his

Social Democratic rival

is now considered by the public to be the most competent candidate.

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  • Germany

  • Angela Merkel