Angela Merkel Points Out Opponent's Party Supported All Her Euro Rescue Policies

Germany in elections

Chancellor Angela Merkel taunted her election opponent Tuesday over Europe's debt crisis, noting that his party had backed practically all of her rescue policies and arguing that their proposals might make things worse by pooling countries' debt.

Challenger Peer Steinbrueck of the center-left Social Democrats argued in Parliament's last session before the Sept. 22 vote that Merkel has focused too heavily on austerity in Europe's struggling countries and done too little to encourage economic growth.