Germany’s Angela Merkel has said she will step down as chancellor in 2021, following recent election setbacks.
She has just announced to a news conference in Berlin: “I will not be seeking any political post after my term ends.”
She also said she would not seek re-election as leader of the centre-right CDU party in December. She has held the post since 2000.
The CDU was severely weakened in Sunday’s poll in the state of Hesse, the latest in a series of setbacks.
Both the CDU and its coalition partners, the Social Democrats, were 10 percentage points down on the previous poll there although the will manage to retain power.
The election comes just weeks after Merkel’s Bavarian sister party, the CSU, suffered huge losses in a state parliament vote.
Parties like the Greens and the populist AfD have grown in national support following the 2017 general election, as backing for the major centre parties has waned.
Merkel said she took “full responsibility” for poor performance, and made clear she would not handpick her successor as party leader.
Many users have taken to social media to proclaim their glee with the initial news she was stepping down from the CDU but anger that she will continue in power. She famously opened the borders to millions of Syrian and other ‘refugees’ during the height of the Syrian civil war.
Since then Germany has witnessed unprecedented amounts of terrorism as well as sex attacks on women and stabbings. There have also been growing street protests after a German man was murdered in Chemnitz by Migrants. The populist party the AfD is making huge gains and it appears the existing German political order could be set to collapse.
PLEASE SHARE THIS NEWS ON SOCIAL MEDIA!
Patriotic badges & Jewelley now available with a donation on every sale to veterans! CLICK HERE NOW

Lead Correspondent | David Clews is the Lead Correspondent for UNN, with over 20 years of political/campaigning experience and a wealth of social media and communication skills David gets to the heart of what is really important to the real people of the UK.
Keep up to date with all of David & UN’s work by linking up with us on our Social Media Channels by Clicking Here Now: https://unitynewsnetwork.co.uk/our-social-media-links/



