During Berlin’s convention on Monday, Mrs Merkel faced pressure from members of her own party who questioned her succession and the need for a stronger presence of CDU’s conservative wing in the party.
With no other choice but to buckle to demands, the German chancellor, who has been criticised for steering her party to the left, promoted a “new generation” of CDU members and even her rivals into key positions.
In further signs of her weakening grip on the party, Mrs Merkel was forced to push out long-term allies including Health Minister Hermann Grohe and Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere, in place for conservative members.
GETTY
Angela Merkel faces his last test
RELATED ARTICLES
And tipped to topple Mrs Merkel, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, was selected as the party’s new general secretary after party delegates approved another governing coalition.
Dubbed a “mini-Merkel” by German news media, Ms Kramp-Karrenbauer told her audience: “We want to be a strong Volkspartei, not a messageless mass movement that anyone can just latch onto, “ according to politics news site, Politico.co.uk.
She urged her delegates to focus less on what it means to be “conservative” and more on how to address fears of a globalised, digitised future.
GETTY
Annegret Kramp-Kartenbauer has been tipped to topple Merkel
But Mrs Merkel remains defiant, and last month insisted she would “like to serve a full term”.
Mrs Merkel has faced an uphill struggle to save her carer after she failed to form a government in Germany’s general election.
With her future hanging in the balance, Mrs Merkel turned to her old allies, SPD, despite experiencing four painful years in a previous grand partnership.
The EU and its strongest anchor, Mrs Merkel, face crunch time on Sunday when SPD members vote on the final deal.
