Merkel Challenger Steinbrueck Attacks Wealth Gap as Election Key
This article is for subscribers only.
Germany’s Social Democratic chancellor candidate Peer Steinbrueck assailed an expanding wealth gap and unhindered capitalism that he accused Angela Merkel of failing to check as he attempted to gain traction in his campaign to unseat her.
Declaring “I want to be chancellor,” Steinbrueck championed an increase in the top income-tax rate to 49 percent and a minimum hourly wage of 8.50 euros ($11.15) as policies that will address a “gulf” in society, while portraying Merkel’s coalition as negligent in protecting average Germans from financial-market excesses.