Politicians who want to replace Merkel clash violently in three television debates

Polls ahead of the first television debate suggested a more open race than ever, with the SPD's Olaf Scholz with a slight advantage over the CDU Arm Laschet and Green Party's Annalena Baerbock.

However, the debates did not change voters' opinions, with 36% for Scholzin, 30 percent for Baerbock, and 25 percent for Laschet, reports Guardian.

In the fierce but respectful two-hour debate that covered the war in Afghanistan, increased use of soldiers fears, climate crisis, anti-Covid measures and the use of neutral gender names, Baherbock and Laschet tried to convince voters why they should vote.

Laschet described the recent events in Afghanistan as “catastrophicife”. /Periscope