But calls are growing louder for Laschet to admit defeat and resign, even from within his own party. Avert further damage to the #CDU and resign,” Ellen Demuth, a CDU member of the Rhineland-Palatinate state parliament, wrote on Twitter. Economy Minister Peter Altmaier called the performance a “crushing defeat” for the CDU, admitting the party had “lost many swing voters”. In a survey for the Funke media group on Monday, 70 percent of respondents said they thought Laschet should resign. Asked in a TV interview before the election if he thought he was often underestimated, Laschet replied that “many have certainly miscalculated”.

Source: The Local September 28, 2021 11:48 UTC