What's Behind Merkel's Rival for German Chancellor Post Schulz's Popularity

© AFP 2023 / Frederick FlorinThis file photo taken on May 29, 2016 shows German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) and the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz during a remembrance ceremony to mark the centenary of the battle of Verdun, at the Douaumont Ossuary (Ossuaire de Douaumont), northeastern France.
This file photo taken on May 29, 2016 shows German Chancellor Angela Merkel (L) and the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz during a remembrance ceremony to mark the centenary of the battle of Verdun, at the Douaumont Ossuary (Ossuaire de Douaumont), northeastern France. - Sputnik International
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New Social Democratic (SPD) leader Martin Schulz, whose popularity as a German chancellor candidate surpassed that of Angela Merkel this week, owes much of his success to being a new face on the local political arena, conservative party member Wolfgang Bosbach told Sputnik.

Former European Parliament president Martin Schulz reacts after his speech at a meeting of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) at their party headquarters in Berlin, Germany, January 29, 2017, were Schulz was officially appointed SPD party leader - Sputnik International
German SPD Throws Support Behind Martin Schulz in Bid to Oust Merkel
MOSCOW (Sputnik) — European Parliament’s former chief took over SPD leadership late last month after Sigmar Gabriel stood down to pursue a diplomatic career. Several opinion polls have since put Schulz ahead of Merkel.

Monday’s INSA poll also showed SPD leap by one percent ahead of the CDU and its Bavarian sister party, the CSU.

"The question is whether this will be a flash in the pan or a lasting trend … The fact that Martin Schulz is a clean slate in terms of domestic politics has also played a role. We need to wait and see what stance he takes on every single political issue," Bosbach, of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU), said in a Thursday interview.

Bosbach confirmed Merkel, with her unmatchable reputation, would remain CDU’s preferred candidate for chancellorship and questioned Schulz’s readiness to go for a three-way coalition between the SPD, the Greens and the far-left Linke party on the federal level.

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