Germany: after his legislative debacle, Armin Laschet starts from zero

Armin Laschet, leader of the CDU and now ex-president of the North Rhine-Westphalia region, in Münster, Germany, October 16, 2021. AP - Marcel Kusch

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The pages are turning in Germany, one month after the legislative elections of September 26th.

On Wednesday, Armin Laschet's successor was elected head of North Rhine-Westphalia.

The former future chancellor is no more than a simple grassroots deputy in the new German Parliament. 

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With our correspondent in Berlin, 

October 1994. Germany elects a new Parliament.

A Christian Democrat from Aix-la-Chapelle entered the Bundestag at the age of 34, at the time in Bonn.

Armin Laschet, 27 years later, has whitewashed in harness and made his return to the same compound, this time in Berlin.

The candidate for chancellery of the Christian Democrats hoped, a few weeks ago, to be appointed by the same Bundestag as successor to Angela Merkel.

This Tuesday, it is as a simple member of Parliament that Armin Laschet participated in the first session of the Parliament renewed last month as it was 27 years ago.

has announced that he will quit the presidency of the Christian Democratic Party within a few weeks, a position he has held since January only. 

Armin Laschet left the leadership of the powerful CDU federation in his region, North Rhine-Westphalia, last weekend.

And this Wednesday, his successor at the head of the largest German Land was elected.

After a failed campaign and a historic debacle for his party in the September elections, Armin Laschet is starting from scratch.

He has had to endure several severe setbacks throughout his career, but this jovial Rhenish has always recovered.

At sixty, a new start will undoubtedly be more difficult. 

In addition, negotiations continue to form a coalition under the leadership of Social Democrat Olaf Scholz.

Other personalities bow out.

Angela Merkel since Tuesday only manages current affairs. 

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