The Campaign Showdown that Wasn’t

Expectations were high before Thursday’s session in parliament. It was the first time Gerhard Schröder and Edmund Stoiber were to appear together in parliament as opponents in the race for chancellor. Many were waiting for the sparks to fly.

But Edmund Stoiber, never shy of a fight, dismissed the idea of the speeches on Middle East policy being a "duel" between the candidates.

"In view of the tragic nature of the situation and the many victims of it, I see that perception as erroneous," he said.

Some in Stoiber’s conservative union coalition wondered why he had chosen the topic of the Middle East in this first appearance with Schröder, particularly when differences between the opposing camps in this area are relatively small.

Largely In Agreement

Both Schröder and Stoiber spoke of Germany’s "special historical responsibility" toward Israel and stressed that the right of Jewish state to exist could not be called into question. The two men also affirmed the Palestinian people’s right to their own state.

Schröder called on the Israelis and Palestinians to put down their weapons. "There can be no military solution," he said. He called for Israel to pull its troops out of Palestinian-controlled areas in accordance with UN resolutions. He dismissed any consideration of boycotts or embargoes against Israel.

Striking a similar tone, Stoiber called for both parties in the region to make the necessary compromises in order to end the "spiral of violence." He called on Palestinian chief Yasser Arafat to put an end to terror.

Military Troops

Where the two men did disagree was on the question of whether German soldiers would take part in any future peacekeeping mission in Israel.

Gerhard Schröder did not rule out the possibility of sending German troops. He said while there were no immediate plans to do so, "we will have to look at the situation as it develops and decide then how we can best contribute."

"On this point, there are real differences between us," countered Stoiber afterwards. "We’re ready to offer humanitarian help. But in view of the historical background, we would not agree to sending German troops in, not even under a UN mandate."

The Real Showdowns

It was announced on Thursday that the details for two televised debates between Schröder and Stoiber have been agreed on. There had been much heated discussion over dates, locations, moderators, and even whether the candidates should sit or stand.

On August 25th the candidates will face off on Germany's private SAT1 channel. On September 8th they will meet again on the public ARD network. Both debates will last 75 minutes, there will be no studio audience, and the candidates will stand.