Germany: German election analysts say chancellor Schröder's re-election hopes have received a boost after he emerged victorious from a television debate watched by 21 million Germans.
Over half of Germany's undecided voters - around a third of the electorate - said in a post-debate poll that they would back Mr Schröder.
Analysts suggested this might help close the 10-point gap between Mr Schröder's Social Democrats (SPD) and opposition Christian Democrats (CDU) ahead of the September 18th election. "This could make things tighter that expected," said Richard Hilmer of the Infratest polling agency.
Mr Schröder gave a solid performance in his encounter with his conservative challenger Angela Merkel, saying Germans had a much more pessimistic view of their country than outsiders.
"Germany is a respected country in the world. That has something to do with our peace politics, no question, our development politics and our economic strength," he said. "You always talk of Germany as a country that is behind, Mrs Merkel, and that is so wrong." Post-debate analysis gave the media-savvy Mr Schröder an overall lead, scoring well on personal sympathy as well as questions of foreign policy, the economy and taxation.
But CDU leader Dr Merkel, known for media performances that lurch between frantic and wooden, surprised with a controlled and polished performance. Many viewers suggested she had more "vision" for Germany's future, and that she topped Mr Schröder on family politics and on employment, the key theme in the the 90-minute debate.
"To say (your) seven years were seven good years is pure mockery . . . You cannot be happy with the situation in the country. We have five million unemployed," said Dr Merkel.
The carefully-managed debate proved solid if not inspiring television with lengthy discussion of minute tax details and obviously pre-prepared answers repeatedly killing off spontaneous debate.
Mr Schröder turned the disaster in New Orleans to his advantage, pointing out the differences between natural disaster management in the US and in Europe.
"In such times when people are in need you don't need a weak state but a strong state," he said. "For that reason, the privatisation debate in the CDU should be very carefully considered."
He also attacked the CDU's opposition to Turkey joining the EU, accusing Dr Merkel of having "no idea" of Turkey's geopolitical importance.
Dr Merkel countered that the CDU wasn't making Turkey unrealistic promises of EU membership that could be rejected by any EU member state in a referendum.
Only rarely did the two debaters let in personal issues. Mr Schröder was forced to defend his wife Doris for suggesting last week that Dr Merkel, who has no children, had no idea of the difficulties most women had in combining family and career.
"I am proud of her engagement," said Mr Schröder of his wife, a former tabloid journalist. "My wife says what she thinks and she lives by what she says and that is no less a reason to love her."
Dr Merkel rejected special pleading from the hosts for her role as a woman and a former East German. "I am a product of a united Germany, and a product of my parents, and I am proud of that," she said with a grin.