Laschet Turns to Law-and-Order to Reverse Slump: German Election

12 days until the election (Sept. 26)

(Bloomberg) -- Armin Laschet took a page from the Christian Democrats’ trusted playbook, rolling out a package of law-and-order policies as he labors to narrow the gap to the Social Democrats under Olaf Scholz.

The conservatives’ short-term program unveiled Monday includes creating a U.S.-style national security council, bolstering security forces and installing more surveillance cameras. Polls show no sign of tightening.

Must read: 

Deutsche Bank, Rivals Look Beyond Lost Decade as Merkel Era Ends

Media roundup: 

• Green candidate Annalena Baerbock, speaking to the Sueddeutsche Zeitung, poured cold water on a potential alliance with the anti-capitalist Left party, narrowing options for Scholz, who hasn’t ruled out such a coalition.
• Christian Lindner, head of the Free Democrats and potential kingmaker for a new chancellor, said he’s targeting core CDU voters -- calling Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party “weakened” and Laschet’s latest proposals a “copy” of the FDP’s program, according to DPA.
• Criticism continued over the failure of Sunday night’s TV debate to touch on any foreign policy issues. Norbert Roettgen, the CDU chairman of the Bundestag foreign affairs committee, tweeted that the host broadcasters, ARD and ZDF, had been “provincial.”

Happening today:

• Scholz will appear on public broadcaster ZDF to take voters’ questions
• Laschet joins Scholz and Baerbock for a grilling by kids on Pro Sieben TV
• Baerbock campaigns in Stuttgart and Ulm after taking part in a WWF discussion forum

Polls:

• Merkel’s Bloc Unchanged at 20.5%, SPD at 26%: Insa Poll for Bild
• Scholz’s Chances of Succeeding Merkel Rise to 76.6%: Bookmakers

Markets, Research and Opinion:

• The DAX bounced back from its worst week since mid-June, gaining 0.6% on Monday, as optimism on economic growth outweighed concerns over inflation, tapering and China regulatory risks. The 10-year bund yield rose for a second day, while the euro was little changed.
• BE Primer: German Economy and the Virus, What You Need to Know
• What Germany’s Left Gets Right, and So Very Wrong: Andreas Kluth

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