Merkel party in crisis after ‘heir’ quits over far right row
Berlin: German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party and her plans to stay on until 2021 were plunged into disarray Monday after her heir-apparent gave up her leadership ambitions in a deepening crisis over ties between the centre and far right.
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the leader of the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), opted out after barely a year in the post -- a period marked by internal battles over whether to cooperate with the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD).
She announced that she was standing down as CDU leader and would not seek to be the party’s candidate for chancellor in next year’s general elections. - AFP