Struggling Laschet attacks rival on economy as German vote looms

North Rhine-Westphalia's State Premier, Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party leader and candidate for chancellor Armin Laschet listens next to CDU member and candidate for the German Bundestag, Joe Chialo as Germany's Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media, Monika Gruetters speaks during a CDU event at the Badeschiff, in Berlin, Germany, September 20, 2021. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's conservative candidate for chancellor scrambled to boost his flagging campaign on Monday, warning voters that a left-wing coalition led by his Social Democrat rival would bring on a "severe economic crisis" after Sunday's national election.

Armin Laschet ratcheted up his rhetoric after Olaf Scholz of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD) won a third televised election debate https://reut.rs/3zsEEA2 on Sunday, cementing his position as frontrunner to succeed conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel.