On the second and last TV debate before the September 22 parliamentary election, the two politicians clashed on a wide range of issues such as a possible war against Iraq, unemployment and education.

While Stoiber accused Schroeder of jeopardizing German-US relationship because of his criticism of Washington's military threat against Iraq, Schroeder contended that different positions are "no danger to friendship".

Schroeder repeated that under his leadership Germany would not participate in a war against Iraq, because he is against "military intervention".

Stoiber also said that he opposed the unilateral action on theissue of Iraq and called for coordination on the European level. Pressure on Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein must be maintained but the"monopoly of decision" lies in the United Nations, he added.

Stoiber criticized Schroeder for the failure to bringing down the unemployment below 3.5 million as he promised at the beginning of his term.

Schroeder said that the world economic environment should be blamed for the high unemployment, which stood over 4 million in August, while Stoiber called it a home-made mistake.

Stoiber said that the education during Schroeder's term was catastrophe, but Schroeder retorted that education spending had been increased by 30 percent in the last four years.

The TV debate took place at a time when opinion polls showed that the Schroeder's Social Democratic Party and Stoiber's Union party alliance was running neck-to-neck just two weeks before the election.

(Xinhua News Agency September 9, 2002)