Armin Laschet, in favor of continuity with Merkel, elected president of the CDU

Moderate Armin Laschet, in favor of continuity with the centrist era of Angela Merkel in Germany, was elected shortly before noon on Saturday as president of the conservative CDU party.

With a majority of 521 votes of the 1,001 delegates called to vote, Armin Laschet is ahead of Friedrich Merz (466 votes), the Chancellor's historic rival and in favor of a change of bar to the right, according to the results of an internal ballot.

He thus positions himself as the favorite to lead the conservative camp to the general elections in September.

This election is decisive for the future of Germany: the winner will indeed be in a good position to lead the conservative camp to the September elections and succeed Angela Merkel, in power since 2005. Without guarantee, however: the choice should be made in the spring and other suitors remain in ambush, in a Germany hit hard by the second pandemic wave.

Coalition in sight with the Greens?

Armin Laschet, 59, had several assets for this election.

This moderate, former journalist with laughing eyes, is indeed walking in the footsteps of the popular chancellor.

In a speech broadcast Friday evening at the opening of the congress, Angela Merkel hinted at her preference for "the team" that he forms with the Minister of Health, Jens Spahn.

Armin Laschet can appeal to the centrist electorate and, if he is a candidate in September, build a possible coalition with the Greens, the country's second force.

But his management of the epidemic at the head of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most populous region in Germany, has drawn many criticisms.

Armin Laschet thus pleaded in the spring for an easing of restrictions deemed too early by experts.