The outburst was so unusual it became a minor YouTube hit.A policy wonk by nature, Steinmeier served as advisor and then chief of staff to Merkel's predecessor, the SPD's Gerhard Schroeder.In 2009, Steinmeier ran against Merkel and lost badly, only to return years later to serve in her cabinet.Political scientist Michael Broening of the SPD's think-tank the Friedrich Ebert Foundation said that "as foreign minister, Steinmeier often acted as a voice of reason, bridging gaps and bringing people together". "It is hardly surprising that Steinmeier has branded himself as the essential anti-Trump," he added.Steinmeier is well known in the world's capitals, but his appointment worries some in eastern Europe, who see him as too soft on Russian President Vladimir Putin.He raised eyebrows with NATO partners last year when he criticised a military exercise in Poland as "sabre rattling".Having Steinmeier move into the presidential Bellevue Castle in Berlin has emboldened the SPD.After years in the shadow of Merkel, the Social Democrats are smelling blood as the chancellor faces deep divisions within her own conservative camp, and the rise of the hard-right populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD) after opening German borders to a million asylum-seekers since 2015.Since Schulz took over the candidacy in late January, the SPD has risen sharply in the opinion polls.It scored 32 percent- its highest in a decade and only one point behind Merkel's conservatives- in an Emnid poll for the Bild am Sonntag newspaper, which asked in a headline: "Is this the beginning of the end of the Merkel era? "The election may still be more than seven months away, but the SPD finally hopes to have a realistic shot at toppling Merkel. "For Germany's Social Democrats, Steinmeier's election is a prelude to something bigger to come: a victory in September's elections against Merkel," said Broening. "While this seemed impossible only a few days ago, the recent rise in polls has changed the equation."

Source: Times of India February 12, 2017 13:41 UTC