Female candidate set to challenge Schroeder

Germany’s conservative opposition was today set to nominate Angela Merkel, a Protestant minister's daughter from the former East Germany, as its challenger to Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, giving her the chance to become the country’s first female leader.

Merkel, 50, emerged as firm favourite to challenge Schroeder a week ago, immediately after the chancellor called for national elections to be advanced by a year, prompted by a shattering state election defeat for his party.