Sharp German disagreement over Greece

Chancellor Angela Merkel and her main election opponent, Social Democrat Peer Steinbrueck, clashed over aid to Greece Sunday during their TV debate, with Merkel saying she wanted to keep the pressure up on Greece to make reforms, dpa reported.

Steinbrueck, who has urged more aid for struggling eurozone members such as Greece, retorted: "You cannot wave the cudgel over the Greeks: you have to put some air under their wings."

"I have a responsibility as chancellor to see that the reform presssure on Greece does not let up," Merkel told TV viewers during the sole TV debate of the main candidates in the German election campaign.

She declined to be drawn on how much Greece would need in a third bailout. "No one knows exactly how matters in Greece are going to develop," she said.


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