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Merkel won't face vote challenge from Gabriel

The head of Germany's Social Democrats on Tuesday abandoned an expected bid to challenge Chancellor Angela Merkel in September's general election, nominating former European Parliament speaker Martin Schulz instead. Sigmar Gabriel, 57, who currently serves as vice chancellor and economy minister in Merkel's government, revealed the decision in media interviews, saying his chances of victory would be dismal. Speaking ahead of a party meeting in Berlin to news weekly Stern, Gabriel proposed Schulz, speaker in the Brussels parliament until last week, as a candidate. Although Merkel's conservative bloc enjoys a double-digit lead over the Social Democrats, Schulz -- who must still confirm he is willing to run -- was widely seen as a more promising contender than Gabriel. "If I were to run, I would fail, and the SPD with me," Gabriel said. Asked by the Die Zeit newspaper whether he was stepping aside because of a poll showing that the party rank-and-file overwhelmingly believed Schulz would have a better chance in the general election, Gabriel said: "Yes. It is my responsibility as (party) chairman." Gabriel is part of Merkel's loveless "grand coalition" government, as well as chairman of the SPD, which, like many of its European sister parties, is riven by disputes between its leftist and centrist wings. Polls show Merkel's conservative Christian Democrats as the clear frontrunners over the SPD ahead of the September 24 poll, despite unease over her liberal asylum policy. Schulz, who has spent most of his political career in Brussels, declared late last year that he wanted to turn his back on EU politics to focus on his home country but did not specify his ambitions. - Survival of party - Gabriel told Stern and Die Zeit that he now aimed to become foreign minister, replacing Frank-Walter Steinmeier who is expected to be elected German president next month. News website Spiegel Online said Gabriel told SPD leaders Tuesday that with his decision he wanted to ensure "the survival of the party", which he has led since 2009 without ever presenting a viable alternative to Merkel, who took power in 2005. Party sources told German news agency DPA that Brigitte Zypries, a former justice minister, would take over the economy brief. Merkel, 62, announced in November that she would seek a fourth term at the helm of Europe's top economy. Her popularity has endured despite misgivings about her refugee stance, as voters look to a safe pair of hands in the wake of Britain's vote to leave the European Union and the inauguration of Donald Trump as US president. She has also been buoyed by steady economic growth, low unemployment and a dearth of viable challengers within her own party. Gabriel had long hesitated to say whether he would carry the banner for the Social Democrats, who have seen their support plummet in Merkel's shadow. The news nevertheless came as a shock to political observers in Berlin. The top-selling Bild had reported earlier this month that Gabriel had made up his mind to run for the top job, on the advice of former chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, 72. Polls show that Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) are the top pick for the national election with around 37 percent support, followed at a distance by the SPD with about 20 percent. An insurgent anti-immigration party, the AfD, is currently polling at around 15 percent. Meanwhile the opposition Greens, who served in a centre-left coalition under Schroeder from 1998 to 2005, have indicated their willingness to join Merkel in government if they managed to security a majority together.