Germany’s election takes shape

THE CONTRASTMPCDUCSUCSUCDUCDU was glaring. At 11am sharp on April 19th Germany’s Green Party anointed as its first-ever candidate for the chancellorship, which will be vacated when Angela Merkel steps down after an election in September. Ms Baerbock, a 40-year-old , had won the agreement of Robert Habeck, the co-leader with whom she has helped turn from electoral also-rans to potential leaders of government. The process was smoothly organised, its result clearly communicated. Ms Baerbock’s approval at a party congress in June will be a formality.Meanwhile Germany’s ruling conservatives—Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union () and its Bavarian ally, the Christian Social Union ()—were locked in over their own candidate choice. On April 20th, after a week of grinding negotiations, Markus Söder, the boss, finally yielded to Armin Laschet, his less popular counterpart. Mr Laschet begins his candidacy facing a wall of scepticism within his ranks and beyond. The process was “self-destructive”, laments Karin Prien, a member of the board, though she expects the wounds to heal.