BERLIN (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th February, 2020) German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Monday she regretted the decision of her successor at the helm of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) not to run in the next Federal election.
CDU leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer said she would not seek chancellorship in 2021 and would step down after helping organize the next party leadership contest by summer.
"I took note of this decision today with respect but also with regret. I can only imagine how difficult it was for Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and I am grateful for her willingness to accompany the process of selecting a candidate for chancellor as the party leader," Merkel told reporters.
The chancellor added she would continue working together with Kramp-Karrenbauer, who has doubled as the federal defense minister since last July. She took over as CDU leader months after Merkel stood down in 2018.
