Merkel's Bloc Spars Over Who Will Run for German Chancellor

Armin Laschet will run for the post of Chancellor of Germany from the conservative bloc instead of Angela Merkel. The leadership of the ruling party chose him despite the fact that his opponent is more supported by the voters

Armin Laschet, 60, won the fight for the right to run for Chancellor of Germany from the conservative bloc Angela Merkel, reports (https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-04-20/laschet-wins-race-to-lead -merkel-s-conservatives-in-german-vote? srnd = premium-europe & sref = Y0jVLcFo) Bloomberg. This makes him the favorite in the race to become chancellor, the agency said.

In January Laschet became head of Germany's ruling party, the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). His opponent in the fight for the nomination for the Chancellor's post was Markus Seder, who heads the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU), a party that, together with the CDU, forms the conservative bloc. After the CDU leadership voted for Lashet, Zeder admitted defeat. He stated that the CSU will support Lashet "with all its might."
The Conservatives chose Laschet despite the fact that Zeder is much more supported by voters, Bloomberg notes. However, if they had not chosen Laschet after being elected to the post of head of the CDU, it would have created "a whole series of new problems," the agency emphasizes. This includes destabilizing the party's hierarchy and undermining its campaign in the most densely populated region of the country, headed by Laschet, - North Rhine-Westphalia.
Although the conservative bloc is still moving towards becoming the largest force in the next parliament, recent polls say it will face the worst federal election in history, Bloomberg writes. The most serious competition for the conservatives is the Greens. The party’s candidate for the post of chancellor on Monday was 40-year-old Annalena Berbock. “I am in favor of renewal. Others represent the status quo, ”she said.

Angela Merkel led the CDU from 2000 to 2018. Leaving the post of chairman of the ruling party, she promised that she would leave the post of head of government after the elections in September 2021. The first potential successor to Merkel to lead the CDU after her departure was Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. However, due to a political scandal last year, she left office and refused to run from the party for chancellor.