Merkel points at record in campaign debate

BERLIN: Three weeks before German elections, Chancellor Angela Merkel calmly pointed at her record on Sunday (Monday in Manila) in steering Europe’s top economy safely through the eurozone crisis, in the only television debate with her center-left rival.

Social Democrat Peer Steinbrueck, meanwhile, outlined his vision of a more socially just Germany and for more solidarity within Europe, without, however, landing rhetorical blows that looked likely to close a yawning poll gap.