Germany: an opponent of Merkel takes the head of the CDU in crisis

Friedrich Merz, longtime opponent of Angela Merkel, was appointed Friday, December 17 to take over the leadership of the German conservatives of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), in crisis since his resounding defeat in the legislative elections and now in the opposition .

Read also Angela Merkel's farewell to the long term

Almost three years after a thunderous return to the political scene, this 66-year-old baron won 62.1% of the votes of CDU members against the two other candidates, including a close friend of Merkel, Helge Braun ( 12.1%) and Norbert Röttgen (25.8%), according to the results announced by General Secretary Paul Ziemiak.

Friedrich Merz, holding a liberal economic line, will have to work to redress a party that has been defeated by its defeat in the September 26 elections where it recorded the lowest score in its history (18.9%) after 16 years to rule the country.

This unprecedented rout had led the current president, made personally responsible for the defeat, Armin Laschet, to throw in the towel after less than a year at the head of the CDU.

Third management change in three years

Called for the first time to directly elect their leader, nearly 250,000 members of the CDU - out of a total of 400,000 - took part in this vote. The actual election of Friedrich Merz will only take place on January 21 and 22 at a CDU congress. A lifelong rival of Angela Merkel, who left power at the beginning of December with popularity at the top, Friedrich Merz had to do it three times to take the head of the CDU.

For this party, which dominated post-war German political life, this is the third change of leadership in three years after former Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and Armin Laschet.

Every time so far, Friedrich Merz had failed.

Barely appointed, he also admitted that the CDU had been in a "

" for three years.

"

" he added.

Read also Friedrich Merz, the chancellery in mind

Before returning to the fore at the end of 2018 when Angela Merkel had announced her gradual withdrawal, Friedrich Merz was active in finance.

A lawyer in a large business law firm in Düsseldorf, he had accumulated millions and positions of influence in large German companies.

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