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epa01826760 German Chancellor Angela Merkel and CDU (Germany's Christian Democrats) frontrunner in the upcoming Bundestag elections holds up her hands as it begins to rain during her speech at an election campaign event on Norderney island, Germany, 17 August 2009. Merkel said that that in her opinion the economic downturn had come to an end and that her government's economic stimulus packages had helped people to cope with their crisis-related problems. EPA/CARMEN JASPERSEN