German Chancellor Angela Merkel will quit as head of her Christian Democratic party after nearly two decades, a person familiar with the matter said, a dramatic sign of her waning authority that will raise questions about her staying power as chancellor.
In a stunning reversal, Merkel told a leadership meeting of her Christian Democratic Union on Monday that she won’t run again for the party chairmanship at a convention in December, according to the person, who asked not to be identified because the meeting was closed.
The move follows a historic decline for the CDU in a state election on Sunday, the latest sign of Merkel’s fading star after 13 years at the helm of Europe’s biggest economy.
