Solid German growth gives Merkel election tailwind

Berlin

STRONG household and state spending consolidated Germany's role as the eurozone's growth engine in the second quarter, helping Chancellor Angela Merkel to burnish her economic credentials less than six weeks before an election.

Tuesday's data is the last major growth figures to be published before the Sept 24 vote, in which Mrs Merkel is seeking to win a fourth term.

Mrs Merkel's conservatives enjoy a comfortable lead over the Social Democrats (SPD), their current coalition partner; an INSA poll on Tuesday put their support at 37 per cent to the SPD's 25.

Yet…