https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Germany in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU) will pick their next leader through an unprecedented rank-and-file vote after a dismal result in September's election, party chiefs said Tuesday. https://www.thelocal.de/20211102/merkels-cdu-to-hold-rank-and-file-vote-for-new-leader Tue, 02 Nov 2021 18:24:26 +0100 merkels-cdu-to-hold-rank-and-file-vote-for-new-leader German Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party will elect its new leadership by the year's end, general secretary Paul Ziemiak said Monday, detailing plans for a clean slate after a disastrous election that the party lost to the Social Democrats. https://www.thelocal.de/20211011/germanys-centre-right-cdu-to-elect-new-leadership-by-end-of-the-year Mon, 11 Oct 2021 18:06:29 +0200 germanys-centre-right-cdu-to-elect-new-leadership-by-end-of-the-year Angela Merkel's conservatives scored a convincing win at state elections in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, seeing off a threat from the far-right AfD in the final regional poll before the first election in 16 years not to feature the veteran chancellor. https://www.thelocal.de/20210606/merkels-conservatives-win-last-state-vote-before-general-election Sun, 06 Jun 2021 20:27:55 +0200 merkels-conservatives-win-last-state-vote-before-general-election Germans were heading to the polls in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, with the far-right posing a tough challenge to Angela Merkel's conservatives in the final major test before the first general election in 16 years not to feature the veteran chancellor. https://www.thelocal.de/20210606/merkels-cdu-faces-final-test-as-germans-vote-in-regional-elections Sun, 06 Jun 2021 14:16:33 +0200 merkels-cdu-faces-final-test-as-germans-vote-in-regional-elections Angela Merkel's conservatives could face a far-right upset at key state polls on Sunday, the last big test of Germany's political mood before the first general election in 16 years not to feature the veteran chancellor. https://www.thelocal.de/20210603/cdu-is-in-weak-position-merkels-conservatives-face-crucial-test-in-germanys-regional-elections Thu, 03 Jun 2021 11:08:34 +0200 cdu-is-in-weak-position-merkels-conservatives-face-crucial-test-in-germanys-regional-elections Tensions simmered among Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives on Friday as the State Premier of Bavaria openly criticised the man who beat him in a bruising battle to lead the alliance into elections. https://www.thelocal.de/20210424/merkel-party-pick-to-lead-germany-not-convincing-bavarian-rival Sat, 24 Apr 2021 10:34:52 +0200 merkel-party-pick-to-lead-germany-not-convincing-bavarian-rival A sea change in German politics began this week with two leading parties announcing their candidates to succeed Angela Merkel at September's elections, when the veteran chancellor will bow out from politics. https://www.thelocal.de/20210422/post-merkel-who-stands-the-best-chance-of-becoming-germanys-next-chancellor Thu, 22 Apr 2021 13:58:33 +0200 post-merkel-who-stands-the-best-chance-of-becoming-germanys-next-chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives on Tuesday confirmed Armin Laschet's nomination as their chancellor candidate in September's election, as his rival conceded following a bitter battle that has left the bloc deeply divided. https://www.thelocal.de/20210420/german-conservatives-bid-to-confirm-controversial-laschet-nomination-for-chancellor Tue, 20 Apr 2021 13:27:07 +0200 german-conservatives-bid-to-confirm-controversial-laschet-nomination-for-chancellor The leader of Angela Merkel's party warned of a "polarising" election campaign Monday as Germany's conservatives prepared for fresh talks over the bitter battle to succeed the chancellor at upcoming elections. https://www.thelocal.de/20210419/conservatives-to-hold-new-crunch-talks-over-merkel-succession Mon, 19 Apr 2021 16:45:44 +0200 conservatives-to-hold-new-crunch-talks-over-merkel-succession Bavarian regional leader Markus Söder on Sunday said he would be open to standing as the German conservative bloc's chancellor candidate in September elections, putting an end to months of flirting with a run at Berlin. https://www.thelocal.de/20210411/bavarias-soder-ready-to-stand-for-german-chancellorship Sun, 11 Apr 2021 17:48:37 +0200 bavarias-soder-ready-to-stand-for-german-chancellorship With less than six months to go until a general election and their poll ratings plummeting, Angela Merkel's conservatives are meeting for crunch talks Sunday as pressure builds to pick their chancellor candidate. https://www.thelocal.de/20210411/german-conservatives-mull-merkel-succession-amid-slumping-poll-ratings Sun, 11 Apr 2021 11:56:06 +0200 german-conservatives-mull-merkel-succession-amid-slumping-poll-ratings In light of inconsistent approaches between Germany's 16 states in stemming the spread of Covid-19, a new parliamentary initiative calls for the country to have more powers in enforcing nationwide measures. https://www.thelocal.de/20210408/should-germany-have-greater-power-to-enforce-covid-19-rules-at-a-federal-level Thu, 08 Apr 2021 20:03:16 +0200 should-germany-have-greater-power-to-enforce-covid-19-rules-at-a-federal-level The head of Angela Merkel's party on Tuesday doubled down in a standoff with the chancellor over Germany's pandemic measures, calling for less control from central government and "more trust" for the regions. https://www.thelocal.de/20210330/allow-more-freedom-and-flexibility-merkel-party-chief-defiant-in-row-over-covid-19-measures Tue, 30 Mar 2021 16:13:08 +0200 allow-more-freedom-and-flexibility-merkel-party-chief-defiant-in-row-over-covid-19-measures Germany's ruling coalition parties agreed Friday to tougher transparency rules for MPs in the wake of a damaging corruption scandal which has seen Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives slump to record lows in opinion polls. https://www.thelocal.de/20210326/germany-toughens-transparency-rules-for-mps-in-wake-of-face-mask-scandal Fri, 26 Mar 2021 17:29:43 +0100 germany-toughens-transparency-rules-for-mps-in-wake-of-face-mask-scandal A politician from Angela Merkel’s CDU party collapsed and died on a trans-Atlantic flight on Sunday, leading German prosecutors to seek further details about the circumstances of her death. https://www.thelocal.de/20210322/prosecutors-investigate-after-german-politician-dies-suddenly-on-flight-from-cuba Mon, 22 Mar 2021 15:43:54 +0100 prosecutors-investigate-after-german-politician-dies-suddenly-on-flight-from-cuba Germany's health minister came under the spotlight Sunday over reports that his husband's company sold masks to the ministry, as a row over mask contracts dogging Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservatives refused to die down. https://www.thelocal.de/20210321/german-health-minister-in-spotlight-over-mask-contract-with-husbands-firm Sun, 21 Mar 2021 18:03:57 +0100 german-health-minister-in-spotlight-over-mask-contract-with-husbands-firm German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative alliance was haemorrhaging support on Friday as a fourth MP resigned in a corruption scandal dogging the party six months before general elections. https://www.thelocal.de/20210319/support-for-merkels-cdu-party-sinks-amid-more-resignations Fri, 19 Mar 2021 13:47:34 +0100 support-for-merkels-cdu-party-sinks-amid-more-resignations Amidst rising Covid infections and stalled vaccinations, Germany’s “super election year” has kicked off with heavy losses for Merkel’s Christian Democrats in two key state elections. The previously unthinkable possibility of the CDU leaving the Chancellery—or even national government altogether — is no longer off the table, writes Aaron Burnett. https://www.thelocal.de/20210316/analysis-germanys-rising-covid-cases-and-state-elections-mean-merkels-cdu-could-be-in-for-a-shock Tue, 16 Mar 2021 22:20:57 +0100 analysis-germanys-rising-covid-cases-and-state-elections-mean-merkels-cdu-could-be-in-for-a-shock Following bitter losses for the Christian Democrats (CDU) in two state elections, pressure is growing on the new CDU leader and possible candidate for chancellor Armin Laschet. A new survey shows that the North Rhine-Westphalian state premier is falling short of expectations. https://www.thelocal.de/20210316/three-quarters-of-germans-think-new-cdu-leader-laschet-not-suitable-choice-for-chancellor Tue, 16 Mar 2021 12:40:52 +0100 three-quarters-of-germans-think-new-cdu-leader-laschet-not-suitable-choice-for-chancellor German Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative party on Monday admitted it must do better in its pandemic management after suffering heavy losses in two regional polls, six months before a general election. https://www.thelocal.de/20210315/merkels-cdu-party-admits-covid-failings-after-defeat-in-regional-polls Mon, 15 Mar 2021 17:54:53 +0100 merkels-cdu-party-admits-covid-failings-after-defeat-in-regional-polls