Editing Angela Merkel (section)

=== Succession ===
On 29 October 2018, Merkel announced that she would not seek reelection as leader of CDU at their party conference in December 2018, but intended to remain as chancellor until the [[2021 German federal election]] was held. She stated that she did not plan to seek any political office after this. The resignations followed October setbacks for the CSU in the [[2018 Bavarian state election|Bavarian state election]] and for the CDU in the [[2018 Hessian state election|Hessian state election]].<ref>{{cite news |date=29 October 2018 |title=Angela Merkel to step down in 2021 |agency=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46020745 |url-status=live |access-date=29 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181029200326/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-46020745 |archive-date=29 October 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Le Blond |first=Josie |date=29 October 2018 |title=German chancellor Angela Merkel will not seek re-election in 2021 |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/29/angela-merkel-wont-seek-re-election-as-cdu-party-leader |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201217163832/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/29/angela-merkel-wont-seek-re-election-as-cdu-party-leader |archive-date=17 December 2020 |access-date=29 October 2018 |website=The Guardian |language=en}}</ref> In August 2019, Merkel hinted that she might return to academia at the end of her term in 2021.<ref>{{Cite news |date=31 August 2019 |title=Merkel hints at return to academia after politics |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-politics-merkel-idUSKCN1VL0ER |url-status=live |access-date=1 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190901093019/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-germany-politics-merkel-idUSKCN1VL0ER |archive-date=1 September 2019}}</ref>

She decided not to suggest any person as her successor as leader of the CDU.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Moulson |first1=Geir |last2=Rising |first2=David |date=29 October 2018 |title=Angela Merkel won't seek 5th term as German chancellor |language=en |agency=Associated Press |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/merkels-coalition-mulls-implications-german-state-vote-58820813 |url-status=dead |access-date=29 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181029113821/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/merkels-coalition-mulls-implications-german-state-vote-58820813 |archive-date=29 October 2018}}</ref> However, political observers had long considered [[Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer]] as Merkel's protégé groomed for succession. This view was confirmed when Kramp-Karrenbauer – widely seen as the chancellor's favourite for the post – was voted to succeed Merkel as leader of the CDU in December 2018.<ref>{{Cite web |date=7 December 2018 |title=Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer elected to succeed Merkel as CDU leader |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer-elected-to-succeed-merkel-as-cdu-leader/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210110125654/https://www.politico.eu/article/annegret-kramp-karrenbauer-elected-to-succeed-merkel-as-cdu-leader/ |archive-date=10 January 2021 |access-date=18 July 2019 |website=Politico}}</ref> Kramp-Karrenbauer's elevation to [[Federal Ministry of Defence (Germany)|Defence Minister]] after [[Ursula von der Leyen]]'s departure to become [[president of the European Commission]] also boosted her standing as Merkel's most likely candidate for succession.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Karnitschnig |first=Matthew |date=18 July 2019 |title=Angela Merkel's succession maneuver |url=https://www.politico.eu/article/angela-merkels-succession-maneuver-annegret-kramp-karrenbauer-germany-defense-minister-chancellor/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190718034256/https://www.politico.eu/article/angela-merkels-succession-maneuver-annegret-kramp-karrenbauer-germany-defense-minister-chancellor/ |archive-date=18 July 2019 |access-date=18 July 2019 |website=Politico}}</ref> In 2019, media outlets speculated that Kramp-Karrenbauer might take over Merkel's position as [[Chancellor of Germany|Chancellor]] sooner than planned if the current [[Grand coalition (Germany)|governing coalition]] proved unsustainable.<ref name="ZukunftAMlautTK">{{cite news |author=Torsten Krauel, Chefkommentator |date=12 March 2019 |title=Kanzlerin Kramp-Karrenbauer? Eine Gespensterdebatte |newspaper=Die Welt |publisher=Axel Springer SE (WELT und N24Doku), Berlin |url=https://www.welt.de/debatte/kommentare/article190169347/Merkel-Nachfolge-Kanzlerin-Kramp-Karrenbauer-Eine-Phantomdebatte.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410045146/https://www.welt.de/debatte/kommentare/article190169347/Merkel-Nachfolge-Kanzlerin-Kramp-Karrenbauer-Eine-Phantomdebatte.html |archive-date=10 April 2019}}</ref><ref name="Ich will-2019">{{cite news |date=11 March 2019 |title=Ich will, dass Angela Merkel Kanzlerin bleibt |publisher=[[Der Spiegel]] (online) |url=http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/cdu-annegret-kramp-karrenbauer-will-dass-angela-merkel-bundeskanzlerin-bleibt-a-1257313.html |url-status=live |access-date=5 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190319002423/http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/cdu-annegret-kramp-karrenbauer-will-dass-angela-merkel-bundeskanzlerin-bleibt-a-1257313.html |archive-date=19 March 2019}}</ref> The possibility was neither confirmed nor denied by [[Christian Democratic Union of Germany|the party]].<ref>{{Cite news |title=Angela Merkel's coalition is in trouble. That means Europe is, too |language=en |newspaper=The Economist |url=https://www.economist.com/leaders/2018/10/20/angela-merkels-coalition-is-in-trouble-that-means-europe-is-too |url-status=live |access-date=25 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181025071053/https://www.economist.com/leaders/2018/10/20/angela-merkels-coalition-is-in-trouble-that-means-europe-is-too |archive-date=25 October 2018}}</ref> In February 2020, Kramp-Karrenbauer announced that she would resign as party leader of the CDU in the summer, after party members in [[Thuringia]] defied official party lines and voted with [[Alternative for Germany]] to [[2020 Thuringian government crisis|support]] an FDP candidate for minister-president.<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 February 2020 |title=Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer: Favourite to replace Merkel stands down |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-51441993 |url-status=live |access-date=17 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200211211338/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-51441993 |archive-date=11 February 2020}}</ref> Kramp-Karrenbauer was succeeded by [[Armin Laschet]] at the [[January 2021 Christian Democratic Union of Germany leadership election|2021 CDU leadership election]].<ref>{{cite web |date=16 January 2021 |title=Pragmatic governor Laschet elected to lead Merkel's party |url=https://apnews.com/article/angela-merkel-national-elections-coronavirus-pandemic-elections-germany-2be065e51c2eb729d8b7b5ba8f23f183 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210125140517/https://apnews.com/article/angela-merkel-national-elections-coronavirus-pandemic-elections-germany-2be065e51c2eb729d8b7b5ba8f23f183 |archive-date=25 January 2021 |access-date=10 March 2021 |publisher=[[Associated Press]]}}</ref>

In the [[2021 German federal election|2021 federal election]], the SPD won the most votes. This necessitated long negotiations among the various parties to form a government. On 23 November 2021, a [[Scholz cabinet|new grand coalition]] was announced, with [[Olaf Scholz]] nominated to succeed Merkel.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Germany's SPD, FDP and Greens unveil governing coalition deal |url=https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-spd-fdp-and-greens-unveil-governing-coalition-deal/a-59915201 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211125140926/https://www.dw.com/en/germanys-spd-fdp-and-greens-unveil-governing-coalition-deal/a-59915201 |archive-date=25 November 2021 |access-date=25 November 2021 |website=DW.COM |language=en-GB}}</ref> Merkel continued to serve as chancellor until 8 December 2021, when Scholz was sworn in.<ref>{{Cite news |date=8 December 2021 |title=Olaf Scholz elected as Germany's new Chancellor, replacing Angela Merkel |website=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-08/olaf-scholz-elected-germanys-new-chancellor/100684978 |url-status=live |access-date=8 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220130194818/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-12-08/olaf-scholz-elected-germanys-new-chancellor/100684978 |archive-date=30 January 2022}}</ref> The constituency she had held since its establishment in the German reunification was won by [[Anna Kassautzki]] ([[Social Democratic Party of Germany|SPD]]).<ref>{{Cite news|date=27 September 2021|title=Seat held by Merkel since 1990 won by SPD candidate born in 1993|author=Philip Oltermann|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/27/rival-spd-party-wins-district-held-angela-merkel-1990-anna-kassautzki|access-date=14 October 2021 |archive-date=27 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210927113729/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/27/rival-spd-party-wins-district-held-angela-merkel-1990-anna-kassautzki |url-status=live}}</ref>