01:22Germany: Posters plaster Berlin as election campaign kicks off
Germany: Posters plaster Berlin as election campaign kicks off
The streets of Berlin were plastered with political posters and other advertisements Monday, ahead of Germany's September 22 federal elections. Parties, including the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), Christian Social Union (CSU), Free Democratic Party (FDP), Die Linke ("The Left"), The Greens and the Pirate Party have all covered the German capital with advertisements.
Much of the campaign will focus on current Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is vying for a third term as chancellor if the CDU wins. Merkel, Germany's first female chancellor and the first chancellor to come from what was formerly communist East Germany, has been a controversial figure since taking office in 2005. Merkel has been described as "the de facto leader of the European Union" and in 2012 was ranked as the world's second most powerful person by Forbes, the highest ranking for a woman ever.
Merkel's chief opponent, Peer Steinbrueck, and his centre-left SPD are currently about 13 points behind Merkel's conservatives in the latest polls. Though Berlin is Germany's largest city, it is not the largest of the 16 states in terms of population, which is currently the left-leaning North Rhine-Westphalia.
01:22Germany: Posters plaster Berlin as election campaign kicks off
The streets of Berlin were plastered with political posters and other advertisements Monday, ahead of Germany's September 22 federal elections. Parties, including the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Social Democratic Party (SPD), Christian Social Union (CSU), Free Democratic Party (FDP), Die Linke ("The Left"), The Greens and the Pirate Party have all covered the German capital with advertisements.
Much of the campaign will focus on current Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is vying for a third term as chancellor if the CDU wins. Merkel, Germany's first female chancellor and the first chancellor to come from what was formerly communist East Germany, has been a controversial figure since taking office in 2005. Merkel has been described as "the de facto leader of the European Union" and in 2012 was ranked as the world's second most powerful person by Forbes, the highest ranking for a woman ever.
Merkel's chief opponent, Peer Steinbrueck, and his centre-left SPD are currently about 13 points behind Merkel's conservatives in the latest polls. Though Berlin is Germany's largest city, it is not the largest of the 16 states in terms of population, which is currently the left-leaning North Rhine-Westphalia.