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BERLIN - AUGUST 12: (L-R) German Minister of Work and Social Issues Olaf Scholz, German Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attend the weekly German government cabinet meeting at the Chancellery on August 12, 2009 in Berlin,...

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BERLIN - AUGUST 12: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (R) talks to German Minister of Work and Social Issues Olaf Scholz (L) as German Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (C) looks on prior to the weekly German government cabinet meeting at the Chancellery on Aug...

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BERLIN - AUGUST 12: German Minister of Work and Social Issues Olaf Scholz gestures prior to the weekly German government cabinet meeting at the Chancellery on August 12, 2009 in Berlin, Germany.

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BERLIN - AUGUST 12: German Chancellor Angela Merkel (2nd-R) and German Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (2nd-L) arrive as German Minister of Work and Social Issues Olaf Scholz (L) and Thomas de Maiziere (R), Head of the federal chancellery look on prior to t...

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BERLIN - AUGUST 12: German Minister of Work and Social Issues Olaf Scholz arrives for the weekly German government cabinet meeting at the Chancellery on August 12, 2009 in Berlin, Germany.

Getty Images 3 months ago

BERLIN - AUGUST 12: German Minister of Work and Social Issues Olaf Scholz gestures prior to the weekly German government cabinet meeting at the Chancellery on August 12, 2009 in Berlin, Germany.

Getty Images 3 months ago

BERLIN - AUGUST 12: (L-R) German Minister of Work and Social Issues Olaf Scholz, German Vice-Chancellor and Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and German Chancellor Angela Merkel attend the weekly German government cabinet meeting at the Chancellery on August 12, 2009 in Berlin,...

German Labour Minister Olaf Scholz poses in the waiting room of a job centre in Berlin, August 10, 2009.

German Labour Minister Olaf Scholz poses in the waiting room of a job centre in Berlin, August 10, 2009.

German Labour Minister Olaf Scholz poses in the waiting room of a job centre in Berlin, August 10, 2009.

German Labour Minister Olaf Scholz poses in the waiting room of a job centre in Berlin, August 10, 2009.

A combination of four pictures show German Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee, Labour Minister Olaf Scholz, Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul and Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel (LtoR) arrive to the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin, Augus...

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (R), top candidate for upcoming general election of the Social Democratic party (SPD) smiles as he takes his seat next to Labour Minister Olaf Scholz before leading the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin, August 5, 2009.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (R), top candidate for upcoming general election of the Social Democratic party (SPD) takes his seat as he speaks with Labour Minister Olaf Scholz before leading the weekly cabinet meeting in Berlin, August 5, 2009.

German Labour Minister Olaf Scholz waves to apprentices of German luxury carmaker BMW during his visit at the BMW apprenticeship center in Munich, July 31, 2009.

German Labour Minister Olaf Scholz (L) talks to an apprentice of German luxury carmaker BMW during his visit at the BMW apprenticeship center in Munich, July 31, 2009.

BMW apprentices explain their work to German Labour Minister Olaf Scholz (2ndR) during his visit at the BMW apprenticeship centre in Munich, July 31, 2009.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier (C) Germany's Social Democratic candidate for chancellor, poses with his so-called 'Kompetenz' campaign team for a group picture in Potsdam, July 30, 2009. Members of the 'Kompetenz Team' are: First row (L-R) Barbara Kissler, Manuela Schwesig, Barbara Hendricks.

German Labour Minister Olaf Scholz addresses the media on the latest unemployment rates, during a party meeting of Germany's Social Democratic party SPD in Potsdam, July 30, 2009.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier (5th R) Germany's Social Democratic candidate for chancellor, poses with his so-called 'Kompetenz' campaign team for a group picture in Potsdam, July 30, 2009.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier (5th R) Germany's Social Democratic candidate for chancellor, poses with his so-called 'Kompetenz' campaign team for a group picture in Potsdam, July 30, 2009.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier (5th R) Germany's Social Democratic candidate for chancellor, poses with his so-called 'Kompetenz' campaign team for a group picture in Potsdam, July 30, 2009.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier (5th R) Germany's Social Democratic candidate for chancellor, poses with his so-called 'Kompetenz' campaign team for a group picture in Potsdam, July 30, 2009.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier (5th R) Germany's Social Democratic candidate for chancellor, poses with his so-called 'Kompetenz' campaign team for a group picture in Potsdam, July 30, 2009.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier (5th R) Germany's Social Democratic candidate for chancellor, poses with his so-called 'Kompetenz' campaign team for a group picture in Potsdam, July 30, 2009.