‘ Merkel of Saarland’ potential successor?
Berlin, Feb. 19: The popular female premier of tiny Saarland state is set to take over as secretary general of Angela Merkel’s conservative party, sources said on Monday, fuelling speculation the chancellor is lining up her potential successor.
Ms Merkel is expected to tap Annegret KrampKarrenbauer to take the reins from close ally Peter Tauber, who at the weekend said he was stepping down for health reasons.
The announcement will be made at a meeting of top brass from Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union ( CDU) party later on Monday, sources close to the party said. The move would boost the national profile of KrampKarrenbauer, also known as AKK, whose star has been rising in recent months as she played a key role in the tough coalition negotiations with the centre- left Social Democrats.
“And so Merkel and Kramp- Karrenbauer send the first clear signal in the debate about Merkel’s succession in four years’ time at the latest,” the Sueddeutsche Zeitung wrote.
The daily said the two women had agreed “months ago” that AKK should take over from Tauber, who reportedly indicated even before September’s general election that he wanted to step down over his struggles with an intestinal illness.
Ms KrampKarrenbauer, dubbed the “Merkel of Saarland” by German media, is expected to be formally appointed to the top role at a CDU congress on February 26.