Armin Laschet Elected as Next CDU Leader to Succeed Merkel in Germany

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-seon] Armin Laschet, Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia (59), was elected as the next leader of Germany's ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, according to major foreign media on the 16th (local time).

The German CDU elected Laschet as the new leader in the second round of the party leadership election held at the party congress that day. Laschet competed in a three-way race with Friedrich Merz (65), former parliamentary leader, and Norbert R?ttgen (55), chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Bundestag. Laschet secured the victory. In the second round, out of 1,001 delegates, 521 voted for Laschet, while 466 voted for Friedrich Merz.

He is known to be highly likely to succeed Chancellor Merkel and assume the chancellorship after the general election in September. Currently, the CDU's party support rate in polls is overwhelmingly higher at 35?37% compared to the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the Green Party, and the Left Party. Generally, the chancellor candidate has been selected from within the majority CDU.