Politics
Merz faces chancellor swap talk as AfD surges before eastern elections
Conservative politicians discuss replacing Friedrich Merz after one year as AfD leads national polls and threatens to win state power for the first time in September.
Person
Markus Söder
Minister-President of Bavaria and leader of the Christian Social Union, CSU
What we have reported
- Publicly backed Merz and warned a chancellor swap would cause disarray and help the AfD.
- Heads the CDU's permanent Bavarian sister party, which campaigns only in Bavaria.
- Söder has ruled out a national coalition with the Greens, limiting Merz's options.
Coverage
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