Charm offensive

Ahead of national elections in September, Chancellor Angela Merkel appeared this weekend on a televised question-and-answer session with German citizens.

Generally seen as a tough and competent leader by the electorate, Merkel is also often perceived as cool and lacking in charisma. Merkel saw this as an opportunity to connect with voters on a personal level.

In the Berlin studio of commercial broadcaster RTL, Merkel met with 100 guests and answered questions ranging from how she planned to balance the budget without increasing taxes to what she likes to cook in her free time.

The town hall meeting is a departure from typical German political campaigns, which rarely focus on a candidate's personality and private life.

Merkel's appearance was seen by many in Germany as Obama-esque. US President Barack Obama is known for his charm and held a town hall meeting while in Strasbourg, France, at the beginning of April for a NATO summit.

A kinder, gentler chancellor

This election year Merkel's party, the conservative Christian Democrats (CDU), seems to be pushing a softer Merkel and is banking on her popularity. The chancellor is doing better in opinion polls than the CDU itself.

As the global economy crumbles, Merkel must convince voters that she and her traditionally pro-business party understand the everyday concerns that trouble ordinary Germans.

The German economy is facing its deepest recession since World War II and some 300,000 jobs have been lost since last September when the US investment bank Lehman Brothers collapsed.

Despite the difficult situation, Merkel was optimistic.

"We've probably just about reached the low point," she said of the ongoing recession. And a potential increase in the sales tax was an "absolute no."

Merkel also doled out some practical advice during the evening. When an unemployed 21 year old complained that the employment office couldn't give him appointment for two months, Merkel agreed that shouldn't be the case.

But then she asked what he had trained to do. When the young man answered, "nothing", she encouraged him to take advantage of his free time.

"Do everything you can to train for a career," she advised.

Let's get personal

Participants in the forum wanted to know how Merkel stayed connected with the lives of Germany's citizens.

Her husband, chemistry professor Joachin Sauer, keeps her grounded, she said.

"I have to fold my own clothes at home and fill the washing machine," she said. She shops for food at normal grocery stores, she said, adding that she likes to cook on the weekends.

"I make a pretty good potato soup," she said, and her guests say they love her stuffed beef roll. "I don't think they're just telling me what I want to hear," she said.

The chancellor also spoke openly about the importance of her faith in God. She believes God looks over and protects humanity, and "that gives me strength," she said.

hf/dpa/Reuters

Editor: Trinity Hartman