German Chancellor Angela Merkel has told leaders of her Christian Democrats (CDU) that she will not seek re-election as party chairwoman at a conference in early December, a senior party source said on Monday (October 29).
Merkel, 64, has been CDU chairwoman since 2000 and giving up the role would start a race within the party to succeed her as chancellor.
A former parliamentary group leader of Angela Merkel's conservative bloc wants to join the race to replace the German chancellor as chairwoman of her Christian Democrats (CDU), conservative politicians told Reuters on Monday.
Friedrich Merz was parliamentary leader of the CDU/CSU alliance 200-2002 and was also a member of the European Parliament. He now serves as chairman of BlackRock Germany.