German Chancellor Angela Merkel told her conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party on Monday that she will not seek re-election as party leader in December but intends to stay on as chancellor until her term ends in 2021, Germany's DPA news agency reports. Merkel, 64, has led the CDU since 2000 and been chancellor since 2005. She had said earlier she intended to seek another two-year term as party leader, but after two consecutive setbacks for her party in regional elections in Hesse on Sunday and Bavaria a week earlier, she apparently changed her mind.
Merkel had previously said a chancellor should also be leader of the governing party, but her predecessor, Gerhard Schroeder, stepped down as leader of the Social Democrats in 2004 and former West German Chancellor Helmut Schmidt was never leader of his party, also the center-left Social Democrats, The Associated Press reports. Stepping down now will allow her party to settle on a successor before the next election. There is no clear candidate to replace Merkel, but the most likely contenders are seen to be her handpicked CDU general secretary, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer; socially conservative Health Minister Jens Spahn, a critic of Merkel's refugee policy; and parliamentary caucus leader Ralph Brinkhaus.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Cautious optimism surrounds plans for the world's first nuclear fusion power plantTalking Point Some in the industry feel that the plant will face many challenges
-
2024: the year of Black country artistsIn the Spotlight Beyoncé debuted 'Cowboy Carter' at the top of the country charts, shining a spotlight on artists like Shaboozey
-
Explore new worlds this winter at these 6 enlightening museum exhibitionsThe Week Recommends Discover the estrados of Spain and the connection between art and chess in various African countries
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talksSpeed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tourSpeed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamationSpeed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box officeSpeed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appealSpeed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproarSpeed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
