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Report nowMerz versus Scholz, SPD versus CDU. On Sunday evening, the two most promising candidates for chancellor fight for the favor of the voters in a live TV duel. The most important points of the debate.
The duel had been eagerly awaited. On Sunday evening, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and chancellor candidate Friedrich Merz (CDU) will meet in Berlin. The topic of migration is on both candidates' minds, but there is also a need to talk about the economy.
blue News summarizes the most important points of the debate for you.
Not always in agreement: Olaf Scholz (l.) and Friedrich Merz (r.)
Picture: Keystone
Chancellor Olaf Scholz reacted rather coolly to Merz's attacks in the Bundestag, barely responding to them in recent weeks. Not so on Sunday evening: the Chancellor switches fully into election campaign mode, repeatedly attacking Merz head-on. Scholz leaves the impression that he has nothing to lose.
Merz, on the other hand, comes across as confident and serene and takes an emphatically relaxed approach to the duel. You can tell that he is the favorite.
What is exciting is that both candidates are normally known for their contrasting emotions. While the Chancellor likes to present himself publicly as a cool statesman, Merz is often said not to have his emotions under control. On this evening, the opposite seems to be the case, even if Scholz always remains composed despite all the attacks.
Rhetorically, both candidates are on top form. Scholz is nevertheless at a disadvantage: he often has to explain his decisions of recent years, which are based on complicated, sometimes international agreements, for example on the subject of migration (see below). Merz, on the other hand, can consistently attack the Chancellor's policies and use language that is much easier for the average citizen to understand without having to go into complex political decisions.
What is striking is that both candidates rely heavily on figures, percentages and data. There is hardly any emotional, direct appeal to citizens. Both seem to know that a lot is at stake this evening - no one wants to allow themselves a misstep.
Friedrich Merz suddenly pulls out a piece of paper.
Screenshot ARD
Immediately after the start of the show, the topic is Merz's alliance with the AfD last week. The CDU/CSU pushes through its migration proposal with the help of the AfD. The SPD and Greens see a breach of taboo.
Scholz is sticking to his guns on Sunday. "I am seriously concerned that people are working with the AfD. What happened last week is a breach of taboo. Friedrich Merz has always affirmed that he will not work with the AfD, and he has not stuck to that. I no longer believe Mr. Merz, even if he claims the opposite."
Merz disagrees: "We are worlds apart in our views. There is no common ground between the AfD and the CDU/CSU. We will not work together, that is out of the question." Then Merz suddenly pulls out a piece of paper and reads out a quote from Scholz. "Nobody should make themselves dependent on how the AfD votes," Merz reads out a quote from Scholz. "That was at municipal level. Those are different levels," he contradicts.
The debate got emotional at times.
Picture: Keystone
The topic of migration also played a major role on Sunday evening. The attack in Aschaffenburg was the main topic. "It pains me that we have demonstrations for the fight against the right, but hardly anyone thinks about the victims," says Merz. In the attack, a two-year-old child was killed by a 28-year-old man who should not have been allowed to stay in the country.
Scholz praises his party's successes. Under his leadership, deportations have increased by 70 percent. He has also introduced border controls at the external borders. Merz says there have been over two million illegal migrants in the three years under Scholz. "But you haven't done nothing," says Merz, addressing Scholz. He replies with a slight grin: "Thank you too."
Scholz firmly rejects this. "There have never been stricter deportation laws than today. You, Mr. Merz, are trying to put on a show here." The debate then becomes more emotional. When Scholz explains the connections at European level, Merz scoffs. "I don't understand what the Chancellor means."
Merz sharply criticizes the SPD and the Greens and accuses them of not doing enough to combat irregular migration. Instead of taking active action, they are hiding behind EU law. He points out that other countries are perfectly capable of turning back migrants at their borders. Chancellor Scholz strongly disagrees: "What you are saying is against European law."
As the largest EU country, Germany cannot afford to violate the common rules, especially now that the EU has reached an agreement on a common asylum law. "Why should we be so stupid?" Scholz replies directly to Merz.
The man with the chainsaw: Javier Milei at an election rally.
Picture: Keystone/AP/Natacha Pisarenko
The topic of inflation was also on the agenda that evening. "People in Germany have become poorer," says Merz. "I say yes, but it's not the traffic lights' fault," says Scholz.
Scholz can surprise on the subject of bureaucracy. When he is asked by presenter Maybrit Ilner to complete the sentence "You need a chainsaw to cut red tape", he says exactly one word. "That's right."
Even Merz is momentarily taken aback, looks at Scholz in disbelief. And then agrees with his opponent in principle, but emphasizes that he prefers to speak of "dismantling". The chainsaw rhetoric comes from the right-wing Argentinian President Javier Milei, who posed with one during the election campaign and backed up his promise to massively shrink the state apparatus.
From left to right: ARD TV presenter Sandra Maischberger, Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD), Friedrich Merz, ZDF presenter Maybrit Illner.
Picture: Keystone
Scholz repeatedly reproaches Merz for his conservative side. Merz does not conceal this. When it comes to the topic of gendering, for example, Merz says: "Authorities have to adhere to the advice of German spelling and are not an educational institution for the people." Scholz, on the other hand, says: "Everyone should do as they please."
When the moderator asks the candidates for chancellor about Donald Trump's push against transgender-friendly laws, Merz takes the opportunity to position himself as the more conservative of the two. In response to the question "Should there only be two genders?", he replies succinctly that he can understand this view. Scholz disagrees and emphasizes that it is inappropriate to deprive people of something that makes them happy. He is clearly in favor of retaining the legal recognition of a third gender, which has been possible in Germany since 2018 under the designation "diverse".
When asked about remaining on Elon Musk's Platform X, Scholz makes Merz laugh: "Yes, I'm staying. I also give interviews to newspapers that don't like me."
Olaf Scholz can really show off on one topic. Towards the end of the debate on foreign policy, the Chancellor appears with a broad chest. He emphasizes how many people he has spoken to in recent weeks about how the European Union wants to act as one against Trump's threat to impose tariffs, for example.
On Trump's Greenland ambitions, Scholz says firmly: "You simply have to say: no."
Merz is different. He is rather defensive when it comes to foreign policy. When it comes to Trump, he relies on phrases such as "He is predictably unpredictable" and "Much of Trump's behavior is likely to be mainly rhetoric." Unlike in the debate on domestic policy issues, Merz does not want to go on the offensive here.
The top duel between the two candidates on Sunday remains the only direct clash until the elections in two weeks' time. But another chancellor duel is already on the agenda next Sunday, February 16. But then in a wider circle. In addition to Scholz and Merz, Alice Weidel (AfD) and Robert Habeck (Greens) will also be answering questions.
The duel starts at 8.15 pm and will be shown on RTL.
