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Al-Ahed Telegram

Merkel Sets News Conference, Decision on Candidacy Expected

Merkel Sets News Conference, Decision on Candidacy Expected
folder_openGermany access_time7 years ago
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Local Editor

German Chancellor Angela Merkel will hold a news conference Sunday evening, her conservative Christian Democratic [CDU] party said Friday, with the German leader widely expected to announce her decision to run for a fourth term.


Merkel Sets News Conference, Decision on Candidacy Expected

Merkel, in power since 2005, has said she would announce her decision at the appropriate moment.

A pragmatist, 62-year-old Merkel steered Europe through the euro zone crisis and the biggest influx of migrants to the continent since World War II.

One of Merkel's biggest challenges, if she wins another term, will be managing relations with the United States under Donald Trump, who has challenged her views on everything from free trade to Russian aggression to immigration.

For his part, US President Barack Obama told a joint news conference with Merkel Thursday that she faced "big burdens" if she chose to continue, but called her an "outstanding" and "tough" leader who had mastered previous challenges.

Obama said he valued the chancellor's integrity, honesty and that she might get his support if he were a German citizen.

Close Merkel aides have said she is moving toward another run, and one lawmaker in her conservative party this week told CNN that she would definitely put herself forward.

Merkel and other CDU leaders will meet in Berlin Sunday and Monday to prepare for their annual party conference in December, where topics will include tax cuts and security in a country deeply shaken after Islamist attacks in July.

A poll for German broadcaster ARD, released on Thursday, showed Merkel's conservatives would get 32 percent of the vote if the election was held on Sunday, down one percentage point from a poll taken on Nov. 3.

The center-left Social Democrats, junior partner in her "grand coalition," would get 23 percent, up one percentage point from the last poll.

The anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany [AfD] party, which has drawn support away from the bigger traditional parties to make strong gains in a slew of regional elections, dropped one percentage point to 12 percent.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

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