German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder won Sunday's television debate with conservative challenger Angela Merkel, according to two snap polls released on Sunday shortly after the 90-minute duel ended, according to Reuters. A poll on private TV channel Sat1 showed that 52 percent of those surveyed thought Schroeder had won the debate, while 32 percent of respondents felt Merkel had been better. Schroeder was also considered more sympathetic by a score of 56 to Merkel's 34 percent and more competent by a margin of 57 to 34 percent. In another preliminary poll for the ARD public network by the Infratest dimap polling institute taken halfway through the debate, 49 percent said they thought Schroeder was doing better while 38 percent said they thought Merkel was ahead. A majority of those surveyed said Schroeder had a stronger general showing and was more competent. They said he had better arguments on questions about the economy and tax issues while Merkel had better arguments on resolving unemployment.
