BFF-37 Merkel ally Armin Laschet elected Germany’s CDU party chief: official

184

ZCZC

BFF-37

GERMANY-POLITICS-VOTE-CDU-LASCHET

Merkel ally Armin Laschet elected Germany’s CDU party chief: official

BERLIN, Jan 16, 2021 (BSS/AFP) – Moderate Armin Laschet was elected as the head of Germany’s conservative CDU party on Saturday in a vote that endorses the continuation of veteran Chancellor Angela Merkel’s centrist politics.

The close Merkel ally, 59, was elected in a digital conference with 521 votes in a run-off against Merkel rival Friedrich Merz, who fetched 466 votes.

BSS/AFP/MSY/1658 hrs