In the “Triell” of the three most promising candidates for Chancellor on Sunday evening, according to Federal Labor Minister Hubertus Heil (SPD), important differences became clear, especially on the subject of pensions. Heil told the German Press Agency in Berlin: “We have kept that (pension level, the editor) stable until 2025. We want to achieve this by 2040. ”That is only possible if there are many people in work, if there is a decent wage development and if you get a higher number of women in the labor force. Union Chancellor candidate Armin Laschet “ducked away” with this “security line” for the pension level.

Regarding Laschet's criticism of Scholz for searches by the Ministry of Finance in connection with investigations against the special customs unit FIU, Heil said that the CDU was no longer setting its own content, but was only trying to “throw dirt”. “I think that the citizens don't want that. You want a Chancellor who can do it, who has nerves, who has competence. "

For CDU General Secretary Paul Ziemiak, the matter was also clear: “Today we saw a convincing Armin Laschet. He was the only candidate in chancellor format and so it was an exciting and very good evening, ”said Ziemiak of the German Press Agency after the broadcast. The CSU chairman Markus Söder said that he now firmly expects a change of mood in favor of the Union. “That was a convincing performance and a clear win on points for Armin Laschet. This is a trend reversal and gives tailwind for the final spurt, ”said the Bavarian Prime Minister of the dpa in Munich. SPD general secretary Lars Klingbeil, however, told ZDF about the candidate for chancellor Scholz: “He has shown that he has the format of a chancellor. He has shown that he has ideas on how we can now move the country forward in difficult times. "

Lindner: "There were no ideas for the economy"

The Greens federal manager Michael Kellner saw his own candidate in front: "Annalena Baerbock has really shown that she stands for a departure, for renewal, the other two gentlemen for a 'keep it up'", said Kellner of the dpa after the broadcast.

While Laschet and Scholz attacked each other, Baerbock showed concrete solutions to problems in Germany.

The FDP chairman Christian Lindner wrote on Twitter: “The Triell was about a lot of money that should be distributed.

Our suggestion was not discussed: education.

“But above all, there was a lack of ideas on how we could strengthen our economy after the crisis in order to gain funds for social and ecological issues.” The “Left” top candidate Dietmar Bartsch also commented on Twitter: “Triell was disappointing overall.

Good work, child poverty, inflationary development, equal living conditions in East-West played no role. ”But rightly the central issue was whether his party should be included in a coalition or not.

Eleven million viewers

The panel discussion, broadcast simultaneously on ARD and ZDF, saw around eleven million television viewers. In view of the popular “Tatort” broadcasting slot, it should remain the most watched lead candidate format of this election campaign. In the first, 7.36 million tuned in (24.2 percent market share from 8.15 p.m.), in the second 3.51 million (11.5 percent); Phoenix also broadcast. It was already the second triad of the federal election campaign in 2021. On August 29, the program on RTL and ntv had a combined total of around 5.6 million viewers. A third triall is planned for September 19 on ProSieben, Sat.1 and Kabel eins.

In 2017, a total of 16 million people watched the duel between Angela Merkel and Martin Schulz in 2017. In 2013, a good 17.5 million Merkel and Steinbrück followed, in 2009 a good 14 million Merkel and Steinmeier.


With around 21 million viewers, the Schröder-Merkel duel on September 4, 2005 had the highest number of viewers of all German TV duels.