Laschet to be candidate for Merkel’s party
ARMIN LASCHET, the governor of Germany’s most populous state, has won a bruising power struggle to become the candidate of Angela Merkel’s centre-right bloc for chancellor in the September election.
Mr Laschet, 60, now faces another big battle: to connect with voters and win over fellow conservatives who backed his rival Markus Soeder.
Mrs Merkel is not seeking a fifth term after nearly 16 years in power. Mr Laschet, leader of her Christian Democratic Union, and Mr Soeder, who leads its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union, declared their interest in succeeding her.
“The die is cast: Armin Laschet will be the chancellor candidate of the Union,” Mr Soeder said. “We will support him with all our strength, without a grudge.”