Merkel cabinet accused of concealing growing German poverty gap

BERLIN (Reuters) - Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet claimed credit on Wednesday for keeping the gap between Germany's rich and poor relatively narrow, but the opposition accused it of covering up widening social divisions in an election year.

Unveiling a 550-page report on poverty delayed by months of disagreement within the government, the labour minister said the overall picture in Europe's largest economy was good thanks to low unemployment levels and wage increases.