Germany's center-left to confirm Schulz as Merkel challenger
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Germany's center-left Social Democratic Party is holding a special convention to confirm Martin Schulz as the party's top candidate to challenge Chancellor Angela Merkel in the country's upcoming general election.
Party leaders unexpectedly nominated Schulz after long-time chairman Sigmar Gabriel stepped aside in January. The party has since experienced a surge in the polls not seen in a decade.
Analysts say Schulz benefits from being a relative newcomer to domestic politics. Until his nomination, the 61-year-old was president of the European Parliament.
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The Social Democrats' general secretary, Katarina Barley, told reporters ahead of the convention Sunday that the party has seen 13,000 new members join this year.
Merkel, whose center-right Christian union bloc is in a coalition with the Social Democrats, is running for a fourth term on Sept. 24.