Merkel & Schulz Debate: 'It's Like a Fight Between David and Goliath'

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has better chances to win the race than her Social Democrat opponent Martin Schulz, political analyst Dr. Gero Neugebauer told Sputnik commenting on a recent debate ahead of the upcoming general election.

Neugebauer, a political scientist at the Free University of Berlin, said in an interview with Radio Sputnik that so far Merkel has better chances winning the upcoming election than her rival.

"It's like the fight between David and Goliath because Merkel is known to the public. For 12 years, she has been chancellor, while her rival is new in domestic politics," Neugebauer said.

"The Germans say ‘we known her and we agree to that kind of policymaking… and even if we don't agree with some politics she is doing, we trust her more than her rival.' Thus, so far her position is more appealing to the German people than the position of Mr Schulz," the expert continued.

Although many Germans are concerned with the refugee issue, most of them are "still more interested in solving problems of education, social justice, of labour market policy, of development, of the economy, as well as in how to meet challenges of globalization," the analyst noted.

According to the expert, "the differences [of the SPD program] to the conservatives' program are not so big," and so far, Merkel has more support among the country's population than Schulz.

On September 3, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Social Democrat leader Martin Schulz engaged in a live election debate ahead of the September 24 vote. The confrontation of the two candidates was broadcast on German TV on Sunday.

During the discussion, the politicians argued on a number of issues, including migration, foreign policy and domestic security.

According to results of the 90-minute debate, Merkel is likely to remain chancellor after the election and lead the next German government. She received a 49 per cent approval rating by the viewers. In his turn, Mr Schulz garnered the support of just 29 per cent of the population.

German citizens will go to polling stations to elect their new chancellor later this month.