German SPD goes on the attack with jab at rival's Catholicism

FILE PHOTO: The flag of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) is pictured at the party's headquarters after leader Andrea Nahles announced to resign in Berlin, Germany, June 2, 2019. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's Social Democrats have broken a taboo in modern German politics by taking aim at the religious beliefs of a close aide to Armin Laschet, the conservative candidate to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel after a Sept. 26 election.

In a video published online, the left-leaning Social Democratic Party (SPD) singled out a number of leading conservatives including Nathanael Liminski, who heads Laschet's office in his regional government in North Rhine-Westphalia.