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CNN Sunday Morning
Germans Hold National Election Today
Aired September 22, 2002 - 09:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Germans are voting today in a national election, and U.S. military action against Iraq has become a major issue there. CNN's Stephanie Halasz has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEPHANIE HALASZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): More than 79,000 polling stations opened in the early morning, in the 15th German election since World War II. Across the country, voters are choosing between the Social Democratic incumbent Gerhard Schroeder and his challenger, the conservative Bavarian premiere, Edmund Stoiber.
The polls are now so close, both parties at 38 percent. The two smaller parties needed to form a coalition, the Free Democrats and the Greens, almost neck and neck. One voter, Gatz Oldenburg (ph), says her choice was driven by Christian values.
GATZ OLDENBURG (ph), VOTER: I think the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) has to be changed.
HALASZ: Another voter, Tomas Schnopp (ph), wants no change.
TOMAS SCHNOPP (ph), VOTER: Well, I think that Gerhard Schroeder should have a second chance to continue his work. I think he solved pretty well the problems that Germany is facing at the moment (UNINTELLIGIBLE) because of his politics.
HALASZ: Citizen Schroeder voted in his hometown, Hanover, followed by a visit to the zoo with his family. At his last election appearance Saturday, Schroeder reiterated his opposition to military intervention in Iraq, a position that has put him at odds with the U.S. government, but has played well among the voters.
His challenger, Stoiber, left the voting booth for another visit to the Oktoberfest in his native Bavaria, the second visit in two days. The Bavarian premier spent most of the election trying to shed regional stereotypes and appeal to voters nationwide.
This summer took unexpected turns for both candidates. After an easy ride for Stoiber in the polls, floods struck Eastern Germany. Schroeder made a comeback by coming to the financial rescue of thousands of flood victims. The last days of the campaign have been rocky for both camps. An alleged remark by the German justice minister comparing the American president with Adolf Hitler has angered the U.S. government, while Stoiber's incessant reminder of the country's 10 percent unemployment rate now seems to fall on deaf ears. A conservative Sunday newspaper simply asks, "Who?" Who indeed. A continuation of the Schroeder coalition with the Greens, a Stoiber coalition with the Free Democrats, or a grand coalition between the chancellor's party and the challengers?
Stephanie Halasz, CNN, Berlin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 22, 2002 - 09:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Germans are voting today in a national election, and U.S. military action against Iraq has become a major issue there. CNN's Stephanie Halasz has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
STEPHANIE HALASZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): More than 79,000 polling stations opened in the early morning, in the 15th German election since World War II. Across the country, voters are choosing between the Social Democratic incumbent Gerhard Schroeder and his challenger, the conservative Bavarian premiere, Edmund Stoiber.
The polls are now so close, both parties at 38 percent. The two smaller parties needed to form a coalition, the Free Democrats and the Greens, almost neck and neck. One voter, Gatz Oldenburg (ph), says her choice was driven by Christian values.
GATZ OLDENBURG (ph), VOTER: I think the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) has to be changed.
HALASZ: Another voter, Tomas Schnopp (ph), wants no change.
TOMAS SCHNOPP (ph), VOTER: Well, I think that Gerhard Schroeder should have a second chance to continue his work. I think he solved pretty well the problems that Germany is facing at the moment (UNINTELLIGIBLE) because of his politics.
HALASZ: Citizen Schroeder voted in his hometown, Hanover, followed by a visit to the zoo with his family. At his last election appearance Saturday, Schroeder reiterated his opposition to military intervention in Iraq, a position that has put him at odds with the U.S. government, but has played well among the voters.
His challenger, Stoiber, left the voting booth for another visit to the Oktoberfest in his native Bavaria, the second visit in two days. The Bavarian premier spent most of the election trying to shed regional stereotypes and appeal to voters nationwide.
This summer took unexpected turns for both candidates. After an easy ride for Stoiber in the polls, floods struck Eastern Germany. Schroeder made a comeback by coming to the financial rescue of thousands of flood victims. The last days of the campaign have been rocky for both camps. An alleged remark by the German justice minister comparing the American president with Adolf Hitler has angered the U.S. government, while Stoiber's incessant reminder of the country's 10 percent unemployment rate now seems to fall on deaf ears. A conservative Sunday newspaper simply asks, "Who?" Who indeed. A continuation of the Schroeder coalition with the Greens, a Stoiber coalition with the Free Democrats, or a grand coalition between the chancellor's party and the challengers?
Stephanie Halasz, CNN, Berlin.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
