Germany’s Christian Democrats are losing patience with their leader

THE EXCUSESCDUSPDCDUCDU were plentiful as Germany’s centre-right Christian Democrats () slumped to two of their worst-ever state-election defeats on March 14th. The party was up against popular incumbents in Green-led Baden-Württemberg and in Rhineland-Palatinate, run by the Social Democrats (). The ’s state chapters had chosen weak candidates. And anyway Armin Laschet (pictured), the party’s leader, had said before the votes that state elections have their own character. National politics is another matter entirely.All true. Yet there is no disguising the malaise that has descended on Germany’s ruling party. Bad enough on their own, the election results contributed to a broader sense that the has lost its way. Six months ahead of a general election after which Angela Merkel, the chancellor, will step down, the party that has run Germany for over 15 years is suddenly confronting the prospect that it could leave government at the same time that she does.