Lagging in polls, Merkel party's candidate seeks expert help

The center-right Union bloc’s candidate to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor in Germany's election this month is struggling to reverse a sustained downward trend in the polls

BERLIN -- Seeking to refire his ailing campaign, the center-right Union bloc's candidate to succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor in this month's German election named eight experts Friday to advise him on issues dear to voters, from climate change and education to security and family benefits. Armin Laschet, who won the Union bloc's nomination after a series of fractious inner-party battles, has received particularly unfavorable reviews recently after a series of slips on the campaign trail in recent months. Polls this week put the center-left Social Democrats ahead — helped by the relative popularity of their candidate, Finance Minister Olaf Scholz, who is also vice chancellor in Merkel's coalition government. Speaking at the Berlin headquarters of his Christian Democratic Union party, Laschet said he wants his new team to reflect the Christian-social, liberal and conservative wings of the party.