Scholz vs. Merz: TV duel in Berlin today-who convinces the voters?

Scholz vs. Merz: TV duel in Berlin today-who convinces the voters?

Berlin-Adlershof, Deutschland - On February 9, 2025, an important TV duel between Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and Friedrich Merz (CDU) is on the program. The event begins at 8:15 p.m. and is broadcast live by ARD and ZDF from Berlin-Adlershof. The debate is moderated by Sandra Maischberger and Maybrit Illner. The topics of the duel are expected to be the German economy, migration and the Russian attack war on Ukraine. This duel is considered crucial for the upcoming elections, as there will be a direct insight into the positions of the two candidates for the voters.

A survey carried out from February 6th to 7th shows that Friedrich Merz is 24% of the votes ahead of Olaf Scholz, who only reaches 16%. Alice Weidel from the AfD is also strongly represented at 20%, while Robert Habeck from the Greens is 14%. This survey is considered an indicator of the mood of voters before the elections. The survey was based on 1,003.

rules and expiry of the duel

The TV duel should take 90 minutes and use more clearly: The candidates have no preliminary knowledge of the questions, and only the pen and notepad may be used. The speaking time is not limited, the director monitors the proportion of speech. Whoever receives the first question decides the lot; The other candidate gets the last question. It is also intended for drastic false statements to be corrected during the duel in order to protect the integrity of the debate.

Another important event follows on February 16, when a square at RTL with Scholz, Merz, Habeck and Weidel goes on the air. Here the voters can again compare and weigh up the positions of the most important candidates.

Current surveys and trends

The recent election surveys show that not only the big parties are under pressure. According to the latest results, the CDU, the AfD and the SPD each record a decrease of one percentage point. The left, on the other hand, shows positive trends and reaches 5 percent, which could speak for a re -entry into the Bundestag. The “other” parties have also recorded an increase to 7 percent.

In the current political landscape, a grand coalition of the CDU and SPD seems possible with 45%, but the tendencies for cooperation and the reactions of the other parties make the situation dynamic. While Merz plans to form a government within two months in the event of an election victory, its suitability for the Chancellery is questioned by SPD politicians such as Saskia Esken who rate him as uncompromising and without government experience.