Norbert Röttgen throws hat in ring to replace Merkel after Kramp-Karrenbauer steps aside

A senior German conservative politician, who was once seen as the brains behind Angela Merkel’s inner circle but was later sacked by the chancellor, has put himself forward as a surprise candidate to take over as leader of her Christian Democratic Union (CDU), further complicating the party’s chaotic succession planning.

Norbert Röttgen announced his candidacy for the soon-to-be vacant seat at the top of the CDU in a press conference on Tuesday, saying he had decided to run because he believed the party should strategically position itself as the “party of the centre”.

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer resignation rips up CDU’s plans for post-Merkel era

The year 2020 was meant to be a relatively quiet time in Europe’s largest economy.

With regular elections only scheduled for the city state of Hamburg, where the centre-left remains strong and the far-right Alternative für Deutschland party (AfD) is projected to get an underwhelming 7% share of the vote, Angela Merkel’s last full year in power promised to be a stable pathway into her political retirement. A good time to focus, at last, on urgent geopolitical challenges: Trump, China, the eurozone.

Successor to Angela Merkel also says she won’t run for chancellorship of Germany

Angela Merkel’s designated successor has announced she is not planning to run for the German chancellorship at the next federal election and plans to step down as leader of the conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), German media reported on Monday morning.

The surprise announcement comes in the middle of a major row over the centre-right party’s “firewall” against the far-right, after CDU delegates in eastern Germany defied the party headquarter’s ban on cooperating with the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD).

CDU leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer gets ovation after ultimatum at party conference

The embattled leader of Germany’s ruling Christian Democrats has challenged delegates at the party’s conference to back her vision or else “end it here and now”, amid deep divisions over the future direction of the party.

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer told the CDU’s annual conference in Leipzig she was putting her future on the line in response to stinging criticism over her leadership style.