WRAP Presidential candidates at campaign events

(14 Sep 2005) SHOTLIST ++NIGHT SHOTS++ 1. Schroeder walking up onto stage, waving to crowd 2. Crowd 3. Schroeder waving to crowd 4. Crowd 5. SOUNDBITE: (German) Gerhard Schroeder, German Chancellor: "We have to tackle the question of unemployment. How do we reduce unemployment in Germany step by step? This is a heavy task but we have started. It is only possible with a strategy which on the one hand supports growth - and the figures are getting better - and on the other hand will give people hope." 6. Wide shot of rally 7. Schroeder waving 8. Crowd gathered on Old Market square in Stralsund with "Angie" posters and German flags 9. Angela Merkel, CDU leader, passing through crowd with photographers around 10. Crowd waving posters 11. SOUNDBITE (German) Angela Merkel, CDU leader (wide shot of her on podium) "The SPD promised 1.5 million jobs within three years but did this happen? At the same time, 1,5 million jobs were lost. That's why we say they didn't keep their promises. And I say, after seven years of a red, green government that's enough now. They had seven years to show what they can do. That has to end now. We need a new beginning." 12. More of crowd waving flags 13. Various of audience clapping 14. Angela Merkel walk by STORYLINE A poll published on Tuesday indicated a tight finish in Sunday's German election, with a slight dip in support for Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats and a small gain for challenger Angela Merkel's conservatives. The survey by the Emnid agency, carried out between Friday and Monday, put support for the Social Democrats at 33.5 per cent, one point lower than in a similar poll conducted in the first half of last week. Merkel's Christian Democrats and their Bavarian sister party were at 42 per cent - a gain of 1.5 points. The new figures came as Schroeder defended his economic record at the International Auto Show in Frankfurt and underscored his support for Turkish membership of the European Union with a visit to the offices of a Turkish newspaper publisher. Schroeder's party languished at less than 30 per cent a month ago, but clawed back support after he performed strongly in a televised debate with Merkel on 4 September. The chancellor scored with attacks on the star of Merkel's campaign team, financial policy expert Paul Kirchhof, who has talked of a flat-rate income tax. Those gains prompt doubts as to whether Merkel will muster a majority of parliamentary seats for her preferred alliance with the pro-business Free Democrats - raising the possibility that she will turn to Schroeder's party to form a so-called "grand coalition." Tuesday's poll showed Merkel's centre-right coalition in a dead heat at 48.5 per cent with a hypothetical combination of Schroeder's party, his coalition partner, the Greens, and the Left Party, an alliance of ex-communists and left-wing defectors from the chancellor's party. All three parties, however, have ruled out forming a government together. The Emnid poll gave the Free Democrats 6.5 per cent, down half a point. The survey said the Greens and the Left Party were both unchanged, polling 7 and 8 per cent respectively. The survey of some 2,000 people gave a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 percentage points. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...