Germany’s election takes shape

The Greens and the Christian Democrats name their candidates for the top job


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.

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