Potential Merkel Heirs Spar Over Pandemic in Campaign Kickoff
- Bavarian leader Soeder takes swipe at conservative rival
- German parties start to hone their pitches ahead of fall vote
This article is for subscribers only.
The two leading conservative contenders to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor took contrasting approaches to exiting Germany’s coronavirus lockdown, as campaigning ahead of September elections gradually gains steam.
Armin Laschet, the newly elected head of Merkel’s Christian Democrats, took an unusual swipe at Merkel’s pandemic policy, saying at a party event earlier this week that the government shouldn’t treat voters like “under-aged children” incapable of making their own decisions. His chief rival, Markus Soeder, fired back on Wednesday in a veiled attack.