Mini-Merkel to replace Mutti as party leader
AN Angela Merkel loyalist was last night chosen to replace the German Chancellor as leader of the country’s most powerful political party.
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, also known as ‘mini-Merkel’, was elected by delegates of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
She is now favourite to replace Mrs Merkel as Chancellor and Europe’s most powerful politician.
Mrs Merkel announced she was stepping down as leader of the CDU in October but has vowed to remain Germany’s Chancellor until her fourth term ends in 2021. Mrs Kramp-Karrenbauer, 56, was the Chancellor’s preferred choice for party leader.
She narrowly saw off Friedrich Merz – a millionaire businessman and longtime rival of Mrs Merkel who wanted to take the party further to the Right – at the vote in Hamburg.
Mrs Kramp-Karrenbauer is considered to be from the moderate, Left-leaning wing of the CDU and has backed higher tax rates. But as a devout Catholic, she has opposed abortion and same-sex marriage.