Germany’s Angela Merkel has announced she will step down as leader of CDU in the coming days. She also said she will step down as chancellor in 2021, following recent election setbacks.
Merkel has held the post of party leader since 2000.
Speaking at a news conference on Monday, she said, “I will not be seeking any political office after my term ends.”
Her CDU party was severely weakened in elections in the state of Hesse on Sunday, the latest poor performance by parties in her coalition government.
She said she took “full responsibility” for recent election setbacks.
In Hesse, both her centre-right CDU and its coalition partners, the Social Democrats, were 10% down on the previous poll there – even though they remain in power.
