Bavarian Leader Joins Race to Run as German Chancellor Candidate
Voice of America
BERLIN - Bavarian premier Markus Soeder put himself forward on Sunday to run as the conservative candidate for German chancellor in a September election and said he would settle the question soon and amicably with his rival, the Christian Democrat (CDU) chief.
Pressure is mounting for a swift decision on whether Soeder, leader of the Christian Social Union (CSU), or the CDU's Armin Laschet should stand for the two-party bloc in the Sept. 26 election, making them the candidate to succeed Angela Merkel. "Markus Soeder and I had a long conversation before today. We declared our willingness to run for the chancellorship," CDU leader Armin Laschet told a joint news conference. Laschet lags Soeder in opinion polls but, as leader of the larger CDU, effectively has first refusal and enjoys the support of some powerful state premiers.More Related News