( CNN ) -- In the quiet world of German politics , outspoken Social Democrat leader and Angela Merkel 's main challenger , Peer Steinbrueck , is causing something of a storm . First there was the Italian blooper : he referred to Beppe Grillo and Silvio Berlusconi as the `` two clowns who have won the Italian election . '' Ja , wir koennen ! Can American-style campaign work in Germany ? Admittedly one of the two , Grillo , had been a successful comedian before turning to politics . But still , the comment caused Italian president Giorgio Napolitano to cancel an official engagement in Germany . Then there was the interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine newspaper , in which he claimed the German Chancellor 's salary was too low for his liking -- which may not be the wisest comment if you are running for the post . Interactive : Who is running in German election ? He then raised eyebrows even further by claiming Angela Merkel was getting extra political points for being female . And finally , there was that photograph : a portrait of the nation 's would-be leader , raising his middle finger to the camera . On the cover of the Süddeutsche Zeitung , one of Germany 's most widely-read newspapers . Peer Steinbrueck 's nicknames range from `` Problem-Peer '' to `` Peerlusconi . '' Still , they signal an improvement from the early days of the election campaign , when only a few would have recognized him at all . Although he had served as a federal minister in the past , he is currently a rank-and-file MP . And when you 're trying to get noticed , even bad publicity is better than none . Could euroskeptics spoil Angela Merkel 's election party ? An economist by trade , Steinbrueck grew up in Hamburg and joined the political ranks shortly after graduating from university . He is an accomplished politician , having served as Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia , before moving into the federal sphere . Merkel , his rival in the election race , was once his boss : he served as finance minister in her first government , from 2005 until 2009 : as Lehman Brothers collapsed and the Eurozone crisis started to bite , his political star rose . A sharp critic of the shadow banking system , he was responsible for Germany 's bank rescue plan . `` He has a reputation as an efficient manager of the fiscal crisis , '' writes researcher Michael Miebach . That , however , may not be viewed entirely positively by potential voters . `` He does not define himself by making overly empathetic social statements , '' Miebach writes . `` Quite the contrary , many social democratic activists regard him as a cold-hearted , pro-business technocrat . '' Is Germany playing beggar-my-neighbor with the eurozone ? In the SPD election manifesto , he does promise to establish state-wide minimum wage and increase tax rates for top earners -- proposals rejected firmly by Merkel . But his critics argue that his promises do n't come across as particularly honest , and he lacks popularity . `` His public persona is [ one of ] perceived arrogance and [ a ] lack of connection with low-income households , '' says political scientist Patricia Hogwood . That is not good news for his party , the SPD . With a leader perceived by many as conservative , more voters appear to be shunning the SPD in favor of the more `` radically '' socialist party , Die Linke . Angela Merkel : Europe 's Mrs. Nein . Observers say that throughout the campaign , Peer Steinbrueck has been everything Angela Merkel is not : cheeky , spontaneous , impulsive . But women in particular are not amused by his style , with 70 % of female voters finding the middle finger incident `` very bad , '' according to a Forsa Institute poll . Steinbrueck and his wife Gertrud , a former teacher ( the couple has three children ) , have given joint interviews in an effort to boost his image among women . Moreover , his coalition past and image as a hard pro-business economist might deter the voters who are otherwise attracted to his personality . With polls predicting his party will secure just 26 % of votes , he can not afford to lose any more support thanks to further gaffes .
Social Democrat leader Peer Steinbrueck is Angela Merkel 's main rival in the election race . He served as finance minister in Angela Merkel 's first coalition government from 2005 to 2009 . The polls are predicting his party 26 % of votes , he will need coalition partners if he wants to govern .