Merkel uses town hall meeting to soften image

By Paul Carrel

BERLIN (Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel held a town hall-style meeting with voters on Sunday, using the format more familiar to U.S. politics to seek voters' backing ahead of elections in September.

Merkel, described by one participant in the forum as a "tough woman in a man's world," used the meeting to soften her usual cool, business-like demeanour by opening up to the audience about her belief in God and her life at home.

Germany's first woman chancellor is popular with voters and is perceived as a competent consensus builder, though she often lacks the charisma of her predecessor, Gerhard Schroeder.

She remained seated throughout Sunday's forum -- not walking around and talking directly to her questioners as is common in the United States. She dispensed practical advice.

"You can support your family best if you focus on learning a skill," she told a 21-year-old unemployed man.

She suggested he train as a care worker, rather than trying to find work as a gardener. When he replied that he didn't fancy care work, she replied: "Think about widening your scope."

He said he appreciated her advice.

Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) are struggling to come up with a winning policy programme for the election and have decided to focus the campaign on Merkel, whose popularity exceeds that of her party.