The two engaged in an entirely civil exchange of ideas during their discussion, as Griff Witte observed. But the range of topics they covered notably left out a few topics, including Brexit.

The far-right AfD could still gain a critical foothold

AD

As the two main established parties have failed to offer new approaches, some voters are turning to the far-right. The Alternative for Germany — a nationalist, anti-immigrant party that has questioned German guilt for Nazi crimes — could be the third-largest­ faction after an election Sept. 24. A recent poll suggested the far-right party could capture 11 percent of the vote, which would give far-right figures new visibility and the sort of legislative authority they have long been denied, reports Isaac Stanley-Becker.

AD

Follow our election coverage in real time

The Washington Post will give readers in Germany and elsewhere the opportunity to follow personal updates from the ground in Berlin over the next two weeks through election night. Join us on WhatsApp or Messenger.

AD

Four other important stories

1. The land of the 35-hour workweek braces for reforms

One possible explanation for why Merkel and Schulz have so few disagreements may be that Germany is comparably well off at the moment. Its economic prosperity is mainly based on harsh labor changes introduced more than a decade ago by the Social Democrats — who, at the time, lost many of their core supporters as a result.

In neighboring France, President Emmanuel Macron is about to embark on a similar endeavor, the kind deemed necessary by economists but not always popular with voters. As his approval ratings continue to drop, Macron seeks to overhaul France’s staunchly regulated labor market and make the nation a “start-up country,” as James McAuley's writes from Paris.

AD

AD

France has been a hub of innovation in the past: In 2007, for instance, Paris became a worldwide role model when it launched its popular bike-sharing system. Today, other countries lead the way.

2. China is introducing a revolutionary bike-share system in cities around the world

New York’s Citi Bike, with 10,000 bikes and 236,000 subscribers, is the largest operation in the United States. That's still tiny compared with Beijing, which has 700,000 shared bikes and 11 million registered users, nearly half the capital’s population.

To rent a bike in China, all it takes is a phone app, and any of the millions of bicycles scattered on sidewalks everywhere can be yours. No bike stand. No drop-off point. You scan a code, you ride, you leave and lock the bike wherever and whenever you’re done. Now, China's bike-sharing revolution is going global. From Italy to Kazakhstan, from Britain to Japan, several Chinese competitors are in a breakneck race to expand around the world.

AD

AD

Read Simon Denyer's story from Beijing.

3. Syria’s World Cup soccer bid mesmerizes a divided nation

In an unlikely game, Syria's national soccer team faced its Iranian counterpart on Tuesday. Some Syrians viewed the match in Tehran as a rare chance to put war to one side and just enjoy a good game. For others, the tensions were inescapable.

Syria’s six-year war has pitted a soccer-mad nation against itself. The national team has been hobbled by defections, and international sanctions against the government of President Bashar al-Assad have caused funds to dry up.

Read Louisa Loveluck and Zakaria Zakaria's full story from Beirut.

4. The plan to save Pacific bluefin tuna stocks

AD

The Pacific bluefin population has been depleted by more than 97 percent from its historic high, because of overfishing. A new agreement by tuna-fishing nations could reverse that trend. If implemented, it would gradually rebuild the severely depleted stocks while still allowing nations such as Japan to catch and consume the delicacy.

Read the full story by Anna Fifield in Tokyo.