Merkel’s old rival Merz announces leadership bid

By Ayhan Simsek

BERLIN

German conservative politician Friedrich Merz has announced his bid to lead Christian Democratic Union (CDU), after Angela Merkel's decision to step down as party chair.

Speaking at a press conference in Berlin on Wednesday, the 62 year-old politician said the CDU needed “renewal” and “a new beginning” amid heavy losses in recent regional polls.

“We cannot allow voters turning away from established parties out of frustration and giving their votes to populist parties,” he said, referring to the disenchanted voters of the CDU, who turned to the far-right AfD in recent elections.

Merz, who challenged Merkel in 2002, and withdrew from politics in 2009, later worked for an investment management company.

In recent months, he sharply criticized Merkel’s open door policy for refugees.

Christian Democrats will elect their new chair at an upcoming party conference in December in Hamburg.

Merkel, who has led the CDU for 18 years, announced on Monday that she will not run for the chair again, but underlined that she wanted to remain chancellor until her term ends in 2021.