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Share Armin Laschet’s victory in the Saturday runoff election for the leadership of Germany’s conservative Christian Democratic Union strongly suggests that he is well-poised to succeed Angela Merkel, the long-serving German chancellor, when she steps down in September after 16 years in office. The 59-year-old governor of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, has positioned himself as a Merkel acolyte who will maintain the chancellor’s moderate approach to governance. But as Laschet’s profile has increased, recently unearthed comments in which he has defended Russian President Vladimir Putin and espoused controversial views about the war in Syria have raisedeyebrows among foreign policy experts. In a 2014 interview after the Russian annexation of Crimea, Laschet was critical of what he viewed as “marketable anti-Putin populism” among Germans. He has also previously cautioned against vilifying Russia and expressed skepticism about Russia’s involveme

United statesFrance generalTel avivJeff rathkeAngela merkelGarret martinTobias schulze clevenVladimir putinArmin laschetAlexei navalnyBashar al assadPope benedictJohn kerryAl nusraTorsten krauelOlaf kosinsky