‘UPRISING AGAINST MERKEL’ German businessman makes shock LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE
A GERMAN entrepreneur has launched a bid to challenge Angela Merkel for Presidency of her Christian Democrat Union (CDU) party which forms part of Germany’s fraught coalition government, with a successful challenge potentially ending the Chancellor’s rule.
By JOE GAMP
Express.co.uk
Thu, Oct 4, 2018
Businessman Andreas Ritzenhoff, 61, wants to run for the presidency at the CDU party conference in December against the German Chancellor, following her disastrous election results and mounting unrest over her controversial ‘open-door’ immigration policies.
Mr Ritzenhoff told the Funke media group: “To me it seems urgently necessary that the CDU formulates new political goals, which quickly lead to a noticeable change of direction of the policy.”
The Hesse based businessman, who manages medium-sized aluminium manufacturer Seidel, joined the local wing of the CDU party last year.
He said: ”I’m worried about what’s happening with Germany, Europe and the western world. I see a threat that is directed against the economic power, the prosperity, the security and last but not least the freedom of culture and the spirit of our population”
“The goal must be “to lead the liberal Western society into a new phase of ascension.”
The new challenge follows embarrassment for Mrs Merkel last month, who suffered a shock defeat at the hands of her own party in September, which sparked speculation of the “beginning of the end” of her 13-year leadership.
After the unexpected defeat of Mrs Merkel’s hand-picked Parliamentary trustee Volker Kauder during the election of the Union faction leader against Ralph Brinkhaus – both CDU members – there have been speculations that Mrs Merkel might no run for re-election at the end of the year.
If she was to be toppled as CDU leader, it would call into question her validity as the German head of state – which Mrs Merkel has always stated should be separate from party leadership.
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