Antiwar.com Original
Germany’s chancellor for the last 16 years, Angela Merkel, will retire after her country’s September election. Although the Greens enjoyed a temporary burst of popularity, Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union is back in the lead.
If the CDU, which runs in tandem with the Christian Social Union, based only in Bavaria, gains a plurality it likely will lead the resulting coalition with its head, Armin Laschet, becoming the next chancellor. Unless the CDU gains a bigger majority than expected, which would allow a coalition with the pro-business Free Democratic Party, the CDU is likely to align with the Greens. In that case,