Merkel takes aim at SPD's Scholz over far-left coalition option

FILE PHOTO: German Chancellor Angela Merkel speaks with Finance Minister Olaf Scholz at the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin, Germany June 9, 2021. Markus Schreiber/Pool via REUTERS

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose conservatives have fallen behind in polls for an election to replace her later this month, took aim on Tuesday at the Social Democratic candidate for declining to rule out a coalition with the far left.

After 16 years in power, Merkel's conservatives are facing defeat, with a poll this week showing the centre-left SPD with a five point lead. A separate snap poll showed the SPD candidate for chancellor, Olaf Scholz, beat other candidates in a televised debate https://reut.rs/3Dto5Y0 on Sunday.