BERLIN, Sept 13 (Reuters) - Below are highlights from Sunday's television debate between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and her Social Democrat (SPD) challenger Frank-Walter Steinmeier:
FOUR YEARS OF 'GRAND COALITION'
Steinmeier: 'We have achieved a lot. Quite a bit of it since the crisis and we may only have done so because there was a grand coalition.
'But we haven't managed everything, we fell short of what we could do in a number of areas because the CDU didn't go along with it. For example on minimum wages and limiting executive pay. That would have helped people.'
Merkel: 'I think we could make more progress on jobs which is why I'm appealing for a new government.
'The past has been good and you won't change my mind about the fact that we have got a lot done. But I think for a democracy it's good when grand coalitions don't become normality.'
(Reporting by Dave Graham and Sarah Marsh; editing by Noah Barkin) Keywords: GERMANY ELECTION/ (noah.barkin@reuters.com; +49 30 2888 5091; Reuters Messaging: rm://noah.barkin.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
FOUR YEARS OF 'GRAND COALITION'
Steinmeier: 'We have achieved a lot. Quite a bit of it since the crisis and we may only have done so because there was a grand coalition.
'But we haven't managed everything, we fell short of what we could do in a number of areas because the CDU didn't go along with it. For example on minimum wages and limiting executive pay. That would have helped people.'
Merkel: 'I think we could make more progress on jobs which is why I'm appealing for a new government.
'The past has been good and you won't change my mind about the fact that we have got a lot done. But I think for a democracy it's good when grand coalitions don't become normality.'
(Reporting by Dave Graham and Sarah Marsh; editing by Noah Barkin) Keywords: GERMANY ELECTION/ (noah.barkin@reuters.com; +49 30 2888 5091; Reuters Messaging: rm://noah.barkin.reuters.com@reuters.net) COPYRIGHT Copyright Thomson Reuters 2009. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of Reuters News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Thomson Reuters.
© 2009 AFX News
