POLITIEK
Merkels potentiële opvolgers
December 7, 2018 - December 8, 2018 - Twee koplopers met tegengestelde visies proberen Angela Merkel als leider van de Duitse ChristenDemocratische Unie (CDU) op te volgen in een cruciale verkiezing om de toekomst van het dominantste land van de EU.
One is Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, a Merkel protege seen as the candidate of continuity. The other is Friedrich Merz, a long-time Merkel rival who promises more radical change.
Jens Spahn, the federal health minister, is also in the running.
The outcome of the vote for a new leader at a party congress is crucial not only for the CDU, which governs in a three-party coalition, but also for the future of the European Union’s dominant country and biggest economy. Merkel remains chancellor but whoever takes over the CDU is likely to be its candidate in the next federal election, due by October 2021.
- Angela Merkels CDU holds US-style race to elect next party head (DW)
- Merkel protege and old rival battle to lead Germanys ruling party (Reuters)
- Factbox: Candidates to succeed Merkel as CDU party leader (Reuters)
- After Angela: the race to succeed Merkel (FT)
- The fight for succession – the CDU leadership battle heats up (LSE)