BERLIN, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) has rejected criticism of her influence on the conditions for the TV debate with SPD chancellor candidate Martin Schulz.
It was "a good style to talk about the modalities of how things can be done," Merkel said on Tuesday at her summer press conference in Berlin.
Discussion the format of a TV debate does not stand in contrast to freedom of press, according to Merkel. The freedom to decide whether or not to accept an invitation to such a program was "always as important as freedom of the press and independence."
The former ZDF chief editor Nikolaus Brender previously accused Merkel of having turned the TV debate to a pure "chancellor format" and spoke of "blackmail."
The broadcasters had planned to change the format to longer 45 minutes sessions for each pair of moderators. Representatives of the chancellor, including government spokesman Steffen Seibert, have refused the chancellor's participation under these conditions.
In the only direct TV debate between the CDU and SPD candidates Merkel and Schulz airing on Sunday evening, eight moderators from four German television channels will now host shorter sessions similar to the election four years ago.
