From nudism to potato soup: Seven strange facts about the German election

With the German election almost upon us and Angela Merkel's CPD party well ahead in the polls, we take a look at the lighter side of the campaign.

1. Mutti’s home secrets

Merkel, affectionately known as 'Mutti' (Mummy), is well known for her love of potato soup, and in August revealed her recipe to Bunt magazine, saying "I always pound the potatoes with a potato masher, not a blender … then there'll always be a few lumps left."

2. #fedidwgugl

Merkel has sought to show herself au fait with social media, holding a YouTube interview during she was asked about her favourite emoji, "If things are good, even one with a little heart," she laughed.

Her party, the CDU, has created the new hashtag #fedidwgugl, an acronym for the party campaign slogan: 'Für ein Deutschland In Dem Wir Gut und Gern Leben' ('For a Germany in which we can live well and gladly').

3. Merkel reveals all

At a unique press conference on Sunday, Merkel answered 57 questions fired at her by children, many aged under 12.

The Chancellor revealed her favourite animals are "hedgehogs, elephants and hares", while her favourite food is "spaghetti bolognese", and her favourite hobby is "growing potatoes".

4. Would be nude not to

Gregor Gysi, a candidate for Far-left Linke, has despaired of the demise of nudism in Germany and is campaigning for its revival.

He told Playboy magazine in August:"I'll check with our local politicians to see if they are offering nudism in their localities," he told Das Bild, complaining that naturists were increasingly under threat.

But when asked if he would shed his clothes to sunbathe by a Berlin lake, Gysi said: "There are limits to everything."

5. Not so small beer

A satirical party known simply as “Die Partei” or “The Party”, is experiencing a surge in popularity after promising a cap in beer prices and promoting an urge to blame Russia for everything - from broken mobile phones to train delays and unpaid rent.

The party, whose motto is  “Yes to politics. No to politics”, says it occupies “the extreme centre”, its members dressing in dull grey suits in a parody of traditional politicians.

6. Campaigning by Calvin Klein

Christian Lindner, the leader of the liberal Free Democratic Party, has published a number of posters which have widely been compared to moody Calvin Klein ads.

Martin Schulz, Social Democratic Party leader and Merkel’s main rival, couldn’t help a dig, saying of the posters "he is always looking down in such a funny way on the posters, almost like he is ashamed.

That can be somewhat understandable, when one is being photographed in his undershirt."

7. Votes for hip-hop fans

The newly founded Berlin party The Urban, seeks to win votes of hip-hop aficionados.

"It's not about screaming 'Yo!' or drawing graffiti on the party programme," said the 284 strong party, calling itself a "global movement of emancipation" that seeks social justice and equality.