The German Electoral stage is set
for the 51 year- old Chancellor Mrs Angela Merkel, leader of the Christian
Democratic Union (CDU) to slot it out with the 53 year old Vice Chancellor
and Foreign Minister Mr Frank-Walter Steinmeier of the Social Democratic
Union (SPD).
Mrs Merkel the first Chancellor from the former Communist East Germany, described as mother of the nation has over the past four years steered
the country through some difficult period and is largely tipped to be
re-elected.
Some Germans interviewed by the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Berlin, portrayed her as a pragmatic politician who inspire confidence and does not need
Charisma, to induce the electorates to vote for the CDU on Sunday.
The first female German Chancellor, is also ascribed as the first
protestant to lead the CDU traditionally dominated by Catholic West German
men.
According to CDU statistics made available to the GNA, Mrs Merkel
joined the party in 1990, worked hard to assume its leadership position in 2000 and elected in 2005 as Chancellor to head the Grand Coalition of CDU and the SPD.
Mrs Merkel succeeded Mr Gerhard Schroeder, who had ruled the country since 1998.
Mr Steinmeier, the main challenger to Mrs Merkel is the Vice Chancellor
as well as Foreign Minister in the Grand Coalition Government.
He rose from public obscurity to the limelight of German politics.
The SPD leader served as the Chief of Staff of former Chancellor
Schroeder, before he was virtually pushed into the political limelight in 2005.
According to Political Observers, Mr Steinmeier for the past four years
has been transformed from a bureaucrat to a politician and gained tremendous experience from the Grand Coalition.
Speaking to newsmen, Mr Andreas Schmidt von Puskas, Land Returning
Officer of Berlin (Electoral Administrator) said Germany as a federal
State; consist of 16 states, each with its own constitution and government.
He said it runs a bi-camera legislature. The lower house is called
Bundestag, which voters elect every four years; and the upper house Bundesrat, representing the state governments.
Mr von Puskas said election results would be declared by midnight on
Sunday and appeal to the media to exercises circumspection in announcing results.