German Chancellor Angela Merkel's hand-picked successor, current Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, will not stand for the role of the chancellor, media reported Monday citing sources
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th February, 2020) German Chancellor Angela Merkel's hand-picked successor, current Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, will not stand for the role of the chancellor, media reported Monday citing sources.
According to the Deutsche Presse-Agentur, Kramp-Karrenbauer will also be stepping down as the leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) in the foreseeable future.
German news channel ntv said that Kramp-Karrenbauer had announced her plans in her statement to the CDU presidium.
At the end of 2018, Merkel resigned as the chairman of the CDU, but remained the chancellor. Merkel previously expressed her intention to see out her fourth term as head of the German government - until 2021 but not stand for reelection.
Kramp-Karrenbauer became Merkel's heir-apparent when she became the head of the CDU, since by tradition, German chancellors simultaneously head the government and their party.
Ntv said details will be given at a news conference in Berlin at 12 p.m. (11:00 GMT) on Monday.
