Merkel's CDU to elect new leader in April

(Patria) – The Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has announced that it will elect a new leader at the end of April.  

The announcement came from current leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, who was the choice of former party leader Angela Merkel. Kramp-Karrenbauer announced that in addition to stepping down from the top position in the CDU, she is also withdrawing her candidacy for the position of German Chancellor.

Although it was rumored during her relatively short tenure that she lacked sufficient authority for the leadership position, the reason for Kramp-Karrenbauer's departure are the recent regional elections in Thuringia, when the regional branch of the CDU ignored her clear instructions and cast their vote for a marginal candidate also supported by the right-wing AfD, thereby neutralizing the left.

From that moment on, it was as if things started going downhill (even more) for the CDU: an extremely poor result in the state elections, including Hamburg last Sunday, where the party received only 11% of the vote, 4.5% less than in the 2015 elections.

Many critics see the problem in the party's 'leadership crisis'; the fact that a large part of the support was due to Angela Merkel, or the inability to replace her 'worthily'. It is difficult to talk about mass support when the party is 'headless', i.e., when it is uncertain who will take its lead.

Currently, four potential candidates are mentioned: former parliamentary group leader Friedrich Merz, governor of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia Armin Laschet, current Health Minister Jens Spahn, and former Environment Minister Norbert Roettgen.

In addition, the CDU and the Christian Social Union (CSU) are conducting a joint campaign at the state level and will have a joint candidate for chancellor in the 2021 elections.

Let us recall, Angela Merkel, who held the position of chancellor for almost 15 years, stated that she would not run.