Climate top of the agenda as knife-edge race to lead Germany enters final stage

Cheers and jeers greet political rivals trying to succeed Merkel, as they chase green votes in the former DDR

As Annalena Baerbock steps on to the stage, the downpour that minutes before had soaked those gathered on Chemnitz's Theater Platz ceases. The Green party candidate is quick to use the opportunity to stress that everything is still possible. Minutes ago it was raining, now the sun has come out - it can happen," she says with a huge grin, hinting that the change in the weather is a good omen for her party's fortunes.

There are both chuckles and jeers from those gathered. With a week to go before one of the most open and tension-filled German elections in years, Baerbock is in the last stages of a campaign that weeks ago saw her heading for the top job, as successor to Chancellor Angela Merkel, but in which she is now fighting for second or third place.