Germany: Merkel’s political party elects pragmatic Laschet as leader

BERLIN » Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right party chose Armin Laschet, the pragmatic governor of Germany’s most populous state, as its new leader Saturday. The choice sent a signal of continuity months before an election in which voters will decide who becomes the new chancellor.

Laschet will have to build unity in the Christian Democratic Union, Germany’s strongest party, after beating more conservative rival Friedrich Merz. And he will need to plunge straight into an electoral marathon that culminates with the Sept. 26 national vote for the next parliament.

The decision by party delegates on Saturday isn’t the final word on who will run as the center-right candidate to succeed Merkel as chancellor, but Laschet will either run himself or have a big say in who does. He said the candidate will be chosen in April.

Laschet, 59, was elected in 2017 as governor of North Rhine-Westphalia state, a traditional center-left stronghold.

He governs the region in a coalition with the probusiness Free Democrats, the CDU’s traditional ally, but he would likely be able to work smoothly with a more liberal partner, too. Current polls point to the environmentalist Greens as a likely key to power in the September election.

Laschet beat Merz, a former rival of Merkel who was making his second attempt in recent years to win the CDU leadership, by 521 votes to 466.

Merz’s sizeable support suggests that a strong contingent would like a sharper conservative profile after the Merkel years. Merkel has led Germany since 2005 but said over two years ago that she wouldn’t seek a fifth term as chancellor.