Angela Merkel to reportedly step down as CDU party chief
After 18 long years at the helm, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has reportedly announced that she will step down as the leader of the centre-right Christian Democrat Union (CDU). During a meeting with officials, Merkel announced that she would not stand for re-election to the post at the party's convention in December. However, she clarified that she wanted to remain the Chancellor. Here's more.
The decision comes on the back of back-to-back election losses
Merkel's decision comes just a day after her ruling coalition, comprising CDU and the Social Democratic Party (SPD), saw a significant decrease in vote share at an election in the state of Hesse over the weekend. The loss in vote share came after CDU's sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), lost its majority in the Bavarian state parliament on October 14.
The move could affect Merkel's Chancellorship in future
While Merkel's decision to step down as CDU chief is unlikely to affect her leadership in the short term, CNN analysts believe that the move could mark the beginning of the end of her Chancellorship. If Merkel's coalition continues to suffer election losses, reflecting a loss of public confidence, Merkel could get voted out of the German parliament. Germany's next national election will be held in 2021.
