German conservative leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer on Monday faced a rebellion by party members angry at a humiliating election result in eastern Thuringia state, where the Christian Democrats (CDU) lost voters to both the far left and far right. A poll published after the election in Thuringia on Sunday showed that more than 70 per cent of CDU voters in the eastern state want their party to join a Linke-led coalition. “The CDU leadership maintains that we stick to our decision not to co-operate with the Linke party or the AfD,” Kramp-Karrenbauer said. “Angela Merkel and CDU leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer could share a prize for causing the [voter] exodus that brought us here,” Bild wrote. “AKKatastrophe!”Kramp-Karrenbauer was asked whether her future as party chairwoman and candidate for chancellor in the next election was raised during the CDU meeting to discuss the Thuringia election.

Source: The Irish Times October 28, 2019 19:52 UTC