German CDU candidate struggles to revive flagging fortunes

People wave the flags of Germany's Social Democratic Party during an event for the upcoming national elections, to be held on September 26, in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Aug. 27, 2021. Markus Schreiber/Pool via REUTERS

BERLIN (Reuters) -The conservative candidate to succeed German Chancellor Angela Merkel failed to revive his campaign in a heated debate with his two main rivals on Sunday, according to a snap poll, as surveys show his party falling behind the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD).

Armin Laschet, the leader of Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), attacked the SPD's chancellor candidate, Olaf Scholz, for not ruling out a coalition with the far-left Linke party and sought to strike a chord with voters as the CDU frets about its ratings.