Chancellor Angela Merkel appears to have won her one and only TV election debate with her Social Democrat challenger Martin Schulz, despite finding herself on the defensive on a slew of key issues ranging from refugees and Turkey to the car industry.
While Schulz turned in an aggressive performance, repeatedly challenging Merkel, he appeared unable to deliver any meaningful political blows on the three-term chancellor as the campaign for the September 24 election entered its final weeks.
While 32 per cent of about 1,000 voters said in a poll released by public broadcaster ZDF that Merkel was the winner of the 97-minute debate, Schulz scored just 29 per cent, underlining the battle he faces in ending her 12 years at the helm of Europe's biggest economy.
However, a hefty 39 per cent of those responding to the ZDF survey were undecided on which of the candidates was the more convincing.
This reflects the views of the wider community with opinion polls showing that almost 50 per cent of voters have still not made their minds up about how they will vote next month.
In a tightly controlled format, Schulz did manage to renew his attack on Merkel's controversial handling of the migrant crisis, claiming she had failed to consult with Berlin's European partners before opening her nation's borders to allow refugees stranded in Hungary to travel to Germany.
"I have made decisions in very dramatic situations - the euro and refugee crises," Merkel replied. "I stand by these decisions.
