Merkel's Party Turns Inward With All-Out Leadership Contest
- Chancellor on sidelines as CDU moves toward post-Merkel era
- Merkel says she can work with frontrunner and critic Merz
Angela Merkel
Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Contenders to succeed German Chancellor Angela Merkel as party chief will criss-cross the country to campaign ahead of a convention in December, giving an early taste of the choices for the next potential leader of Europe’s pivotal country.
The process agreed among the Christian Democratic Union’s leadership signals that Germany is headed for another inward-looking period as the post-Merkel era takes shape. Merkel, 64, reiterated Monday she’s ready to serve out her fourth term and her replacement as party chief, who would be in pole position to be the CDU’s chancellor candidate in the next election, will help determine whether she can.