Germany: Solz is the favorite after the third debate

Even after the controversies of the third debate, the Social Democrat Olaf Solts wins the impressions. The Christian Democrat bets on “conservative values” Armin Lassett.

It was the last time before the critical ones Parliamentary Elections The three main candidates for the post of Chancellor and successor of Angela Merkel, namely the Social Democrat (SPD) Minister of Finance and Vice-Chancellor Olaf Solz, the Christian Democrats (CDU) and the CDU Analena Berbock. The “hosts” this time were the private television networks SAT1 and ProSieben. According to a survey conducted by the FORSA Institute for SAT1, 42% consider the winner of the debate, once again, Olaf Solz. Armin Lassett is second with 27%, with a small difference from Analena Berbock, who has 25% of the likes. Recent polls suggest a similar picture, albeit with a much smaller lead for Soltz.

Candidates “sharpen” their profile

A few days before the election, each candidate wanted to create a “distinct” profile for voters, recalling the main issues of his election agenda and the noticeable difference from the other candidates. Armin Lassett, for example, in an apparent attempt to attract or repatriate conservative voters, addressed the issue of “internal security” in detail, going one step further than his previous statements and implying that more of them should be expelled. “Quasi-dangerous” for terrorist acts. These are people who have been involved in extremist, radical groups and based on their profile are considered dangerous for committing a terrorist act, but so far they have not committed any crime. “Until now we have been saying that we can not deport these ‘quasi-dangerous’ since they have done nothing, since 2017 we have deported (just) 35,” Lassett said, adding that “we must show zero tolerance for terrorism. ”.

For their part, the Social Democrats and the Greens insisted on social justice and economic measures to support the weak. A typical example is the controversy over raising the minimum wage to twelve euros with Olaf Solz talking about a “necessary and correct reform”, which in fact “will be a precondition for the formation of a government under my leadership”. The current Minister of Finance estimates that “more than ten million employees” will benefit from this measure.

A similar attitude by the “Green” Analena Berbok with emphasis on single-parent families and young children, who, as she said, “should finally escape the trap of poverty.”

Christian Democrat Armin Lassett reiterated his firm position that although the financially weak should be protected more effectively, this can only be done by order from above, except “with the agreement of the social partners.” Opportunity for attack by Olaf Soltz on Armin Lasset: “I am particularly interested in the dignity of the citizen. Obviously we are different in this… ”

Closer to SPD and Greens

Perhaps the last “trap” for Olaf Solz before the polls is the extraordinary meeting of the Committee on Economic Affairs in the Federal Parliament, on Monday, on the “Wirecard scandal”, which concerns the bankruptcy and the dark transactions of the former German state. company abroad. Some accuse the finance minister at least of “lack of oversight” of Wirecard’s activities, which he denies. In a “sly” attempt to attack Soltz through Burbok, Christian Democrat Lasset asked the Greens’ candidate “what he expects” from the Finance Minister’s submission to the House Finance Committee. “Complete transparency” replied the candidate of the Greens in a diplomatic way. Many times, Analena Berbock tried to confront the Christian Democrats and the Social Democrats, the two ruling parties that she considers co-responsible for the current problems of the country, but did not resort to a personal attack against the Social Democrat Soltz. He also avoided the same, in fact towards the end of the telematch he openly stated: “I do not hide from you that I would prefer to co-govern with the Greens”.

With the same naturalness, Armin Lasset has stated for months that he would prefer a post-election alliance with the Liberal Party (FDP), with which he already co-governs the local government of North Rhine-Westphalia.

A journalist of Greek origin

Sunday’s telematch was superbly coordinated by two women journalists, Linda Zervaki of Greek origin from the Pro Sieben channel and Claudia von Brauchic from SAT 1. Linda Zervaki, originally from Trikala and Serres, has managed to become one of the most influential appearances on German television. Born and raised in Hamburg, she began working at her parents’ booth at an early age, later working as a copywriter for the BBDO and as a journalist for the NDR radio station. For eleven years he presented news bulletins on the first channel of German television (ARD), while this year he got a “transfer” for the private channel ProSieben.

A special “inspiration” for Linda Zervaki in Sunday’s telematch was the moment she addressed Armin Lasset waving an old issue of “Mickey Mouse” from the time she was still working at her parents’ booth. Noting that as early as 1993 these popular children’s comics were focused on the problems of the environment and climate change, he asked Lassett if the Christian Democrats were reading… enough Mickey Mouse at the time. The CDU candidate preferred a technocratic answer, saying that already at that time “Klaus Teffer had included the issue of climate protection in his agenda”. He is a Christian Democrat politician with a highly developed ecological conscience, who served as Minister of the Environment from 1987-1994 with Chancellor Helmut Kohl, and later for many years headed the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).