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Merkel unveils leadership team

Luke Harding

Stoiber's remark causes a flutter

BERLIN: Germany's conservative leader, Angela Merkel, on Wednesday presented her campaign team for next month's general election, shrugging off remarks by a colleague who had described East German voters as ``stupid cows''.

Ms Merkel, the leader of Germany's Christian Democrats, introduced nine members of her team who are likely to play leading roles in any Merkel-led cabinet.

Describing them as a ``strong troupe'', she said German voters faced a clear choice — between the failed policies of Social Democrat Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder and her own agenda for change.

``Our country needs change. Our voters face a decision on the nation's direction,'' she declared at Konrad-Adenauer-Haus, her party's Berlin headquarters.

Standing next to Ms Merkel was Edmund Stoiber, the troublesome grey-haired leader of the CDU's Bavarian sister party, the CSU, whose latest gaffe might just ruin Ms Merkel's chances. Mr Stoiber last week dubbed East German voters as ``stupid cows'' after polls revealed that 30 per cent of East Germans were preparing to vote for a new Left-wing party.

On Wednesday, Mr Stoiber refused to elaborate. He merely said: ``German voters now have to decide whether they want further decline, or for the country to re-emerge.''

- Guardian Newspapers Limited 2005

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