ThunderBlade + 231 TB December 7, 2018 Angela Merkel bowed out as leader of her Christian Democrats on Friday with an emotional speech to her conservative party as it met to pick her successor who will move into pole position to become Germany’s next chancellor.The frontrunners are Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, a Merkel protege seen as the continuity candidate, and Friedrich Merz, a Merkel rival who has questioned the constitutional guarantee of asylum to all “politically persecuted” and believes Europe’s biggest economy should contribute more to the European Union. Merkel said in October she would step down as party chief but remain chancellor, an effort to manage her exit after a series of setbacks since her divisive decision in 2015 to keep German borders open to refugees fleeing war in the Middle East. " It has been a great pleasure for me, it has been an honour,” she said to a standing ovation lasting nearly 10 minutes, and fighting to hold back tears. The new CDU leader will be chosen by 1,001 delegates who vote at the congress later on Friday. The winner will likely lead the CDU in the next federal election due by October 2021. A survey by pollster Infratest dimap for broadcaster ARD on Thursday showed 47 percent of CDU members favoured Kramp-Karrenbauer compared with 37 percent for Merz and 12 percent for Health Minister Jens Spahn. 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pavel + 384 PP December 7, 2018 She has done an amazing job! A Great leader! Definitely. After Margaret Thatcher she's strongest woman in World politics ever. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Petar + 76 PP December 7, 2018 "Auf wiedersehen - sehr gut gemacht" - as most of Germans said. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
pinto + 293 PZ December 7, 2018 Under Merkel Germany has become the strongest state in the EU, and one of the TOP 5 in all World. Nobody's not perfect, and history will show her true role in democratization. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
damirUSBiH + 327 DD December 7, 2018 19 minutes ago, Pavel said: She has done an amazing job! A Great leader! Definitely. After Margaret Thatcher she's strongest woman in World politics ever. Don't forget that she is most responsible for the crisis through which Germany passes. And she leaves a split society behind her...Inequality has contributed to fragmentation in German society fueling right-wing populism. And of course it's change which fundamentally reordering the country’s politics. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pavel + 384 PP December 7, 2018 8 minutes ago, damirUSBiH said: Don't forget that she is most responsible for the crisis through which Germany passes. And she leaves a split society behind her...Inequality has contributed to fragmentation in German society fueling right-wing populism. And of course it's change which fundamentally reordering the country’s politics. Have you ever been or read some facts about Germany today? The way you wrote, it looks like Germany is about to collapse, or worse, be run by right wing fascists in whole country? Calm down with your final conclusion. It's easy to write without essential knowledge about society and integration... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
50 shades of black + 254 December 7, 2018 Germany is Europe’s largest economy, Europe’s leader, but Germany definitely has to watch where it's going. Big leaders are leaving when they finish their job. She left things unfinished. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Karl V + 33 MM December 7, 2018 Russian Expats praising Merkel, who raised Value Added Tax from 16% to Scandinavian 19% , promising to raise it just to 18% in 2004/2005 . Result : More Eastern Europen cheap workers in construction , and customers demanding Black Work from companies . She had been a curse to the German youth , voted by 41% of males aged 65+ and 48% of females aged 65+ . She had been the Grave Digger of the German People , a Joseph to pamper another man's child in an Ancient Roman Empire similar to the Egypt of the Old Testament , where Milk , Honey and Oil pours out of heaven's clouds ! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites