She announced her decision the day after voters punished both her CDU and the Social Democrats in an election in the central state of Hesse. It came two weeks after a similar debacle for the CSU and Social Democrats in neighbouring Bavaria. Sunday's result in Hesse means that the Alternative for Germany party now holds seats in every state legislature and federal parliament. The Social Democrats' leader, Andrea Nahles, said she hopes the CDU leadership contest will end arguments within Merkel's bloc about its direction and leaders. Merz lost his post as the party's parliamentary leader to Merkel in 2002 and has been absent from front-line politics in recent years.

Source: Bangkok Post October 29, 2018 22:18 UTC