Germany: Kramp-Karrenbauer renounced his candidacy as chancellor and chairman of the CDU party.
After the turmoil surrounding the scandalous Thuringia elections, CDU chairman Annegret Kramp-Carrenbauer is refusing to take over the party’s presidency and will not claim the office of chancellor.
At a meeting of the presidium of the CDU on Monday morning, German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, according to media reports, informed the party’s presidium that he would renounce his chairmanship of the CDU and possible candidacy for Chancellor.
According to media reports, the CDU leader complained about the unresolved relations between the Alternative for Germany Party and the Left. She was categorically against cooperation with these political forces.
At the same time, she wanted to organize the process of nominating a candidate for chancellor in the summer and after that to give up her chair as party leader. After that, she will hand over her presidency to a new candidate for chancellor in the Bundestag elections in 2021. More detailed information will be announced at a press conference at noon.
After the CDU parliamentary group in the Thuringian State Parliament suddenly voted for CDU deputy Thomas Kemmerich, violent protests erupted across the country, so that the newly elected Thuringian prime minister announced his resignation one day after taking office.
Merkel reportedly thanked the CDU chairman and asked that Kramp-Carrenbauer stay as minister. Annegret Kramp-Carrenbauer succeeded Angela Merkel as CDU President in December 2018.