• Live
    • Audio Only
  • google plus
  • facebook
  • twitter
News > Germany

Angela Merkel 'Apprentice' Kramp-Karrenbauer Elected CDU Leader

  • Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer: Merkel Choice Elected CDU Leader

    Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer: Merkel Choice Elected CDU Leader | Photo: Reuters

Published 7 December 2018
Opinion

Angela Merkel's 18-year reign as Germany's Christian Democrat Union leader ended Friday, when the union chose Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer as its new head

Germany's ruling Christian Democrat Union has chosen Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer as its new party leader, ending Angela Merkel's 18-year reign.

RELATED:

Germany: Merkel Mentee Heavily Favored to Replace Chancellor

The CDU general secretary narrowly beat Friedrich Merz, a millionaire lawyer, in a run-off vote in Hamburg.

Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer, or AKK as she is also known, received 517 of 999 votes, and as the head of Germany's largest party, she could now become the next German chancellor.

Speaking after her victory, Kramp-Karrenbauer said, "I learned what it is to lead, and above all learnt that leadership is more about being strong on the inside than being loud on the outside."

She called for party unity in her first address as leader and brought Mr Merz and her other opponent, Health Minister Jens Spahn, to the stage, saying she would be "very happy" if they joined her in this task.

The 56-year-old was Merkel's choice to succeed her with the former Chancellor praising AKK for her 2017 electoral success in Saarland.

Kramp-Karrenbauer became the first woman to serve as a state minister for internal affairs in 2000 and the first woman to serve as prime minister of Saarland, a position she held from 2011 to 2018.

Comment
0
Comments
Post with no comments.