Not just Catholic men: German candidate pledges diversity

The leading contender to succeed Angela Merkel as Germany's chancellor has pledged to emphasize diversity during the election campaign and in Germany’s next government if he wins in September

BERLIN -- The leading contender to succeed Angela Merkel as Germany's chancellor pledged Sunday to emphasize diversity during the election campaign and in the country's next government if he wins in September. Armin Laschet's center-right Christian Democratic Union was criticized recently for featuring only white models on its flagship election posters. “The diversity in our society will play a role in the election campaign," Laschet told public broadcaster ARD on Sunday, adding that the issue was of personal importance to him. Asked about the high proportion of Catholic men from western Germany in his inner circle and whether they would all be rewarded with Cabinet positions, the 60-year-old insisted that he would aim for gender balance and a fair regional representation when forming a government.