GERMANY VOTE: No Turkish Delight For SPD's Schulz - Press

By Tara Oakes

     BRUSSELS (MNI) - Germany's political scene was left largely unchanged

Monday as papers said the only televised debate between the main chancellor

candidates failed to fire up voters.

     With three weeks to go until the federal elections, centre-right candidate

Chancellor Angela Merkel and centre-left challenger Martin Schulz squared off in

what was universally reviewed as a cordial affair.

     Schulz delivered the only real surprise of the night, calling for an end to

Turkey's EU accession talks, claiming that they've crossed enough "red lines".

He also barbed Merkel for her handling of the refugee crisis.

     But otherwise consensus reigned, with both candidates denying they would

raise the retirement age to 70.

     German papers agreed that Schulz's Turkish surprise put Merkel under

pressure but failed to win him big votes. An ARD poll of debate viewers showed

that 55% believed Merkel had won the debate.

     "Schulz scores, Merkel wins", Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung said, adding

that the depth of experience the contenders had with each other made this "more

a public coalition summit among government partners than a violent exchange of

blows".

     For tabloid Bild the difference in tone was due to their current standing,

saying: "Schulz takes action - Merkel convinces". On Turkey, Bild added that

"Schulz is clearer, Merkel has to be careful as Chancellor". Tensions with

Ankara are already fraught.

     Handelsblatt called the whole event "The Harmonious Duel". They also

pointed out the focus on international policy - the first 52 minutes were on the

refugee crisis. A number of other outlets highlighted the neglect of domestic

policy issues and digitalization.

     Der Spiegel was the only paper to describe the duel as "lively", saying it

was a step up from most debates with Merkel. "Schulz knew he had to attack. And

he did," they said.

     The last large-scale national poll published by Emnid Saturday put Merkel's

CDU/CDU at 38% and Schulz's SPD at 24%. Next up were far-left Die Linke at 9%,

then the Greens, liberal FDP and far-right AfD, all at 8%.

     In the debate, Schulz refused to rule out a coalition with Die Linke,

whereas Merkel nixed any chance of coalition with the far-left party or the AfD.

--MNI Brussels Bureau; +44 203-865-3851; email: tara.oakes@marketnews.com

--MNI London Bureau; tel: +44 203-586-2225; email: les.commons@marketnews.com

[TOPICS: M$E$$$,M$G$$$,M$X$$$,MC$$$$]