Merkel s party ahead in local votes in northern German state durangoherald.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from durangoherald.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Germany s Merkel Prepares to Step Down with Record of Dealing with Crises voanews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from voanews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
The development gives him an advantage after he and a rival both declared their ambitions.
The Union bloc aims to decide quickly on its candidate after months of shadow-boxing between Mr Laschet, the head of Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union, and Markus Soeder, who leads its smaller Bavaria-only sister party, the Christian Social Union.
Mr Laschet and Mr Soeder – the governors of Germany’s two most populous states, North Rhine-Westphalia and Bavaria respectively – both officially declared on Sunday that they are prepared to run, but insisted that they will quickly find a harmonious solution.
Armin Laschet, left, and Markus Soeder (Tobias Schwarz/Pool Photo via AP)
Leader of Merkel s party seeks backing in bid for chancellor ncadvertiser.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from ncadvertiser.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.