Germany’s election takes shape
The Greens and the Christian Democrats name their candidates for the top job
THE CONTRAST was glaring. At 11am sharp on April 19th Germany’s Green Party anointed Annalena Baerbock as its first-ever candidate for the chancellorship, which will be vacated when Angela Merkel steps down after an election in September. Ms Baerbock, a 40-year-old MP, had won the agreement of Robert Habeck, the co-leader with whom she has helped turn the Greens from electoral also-rans to potential leaders of government. The process was smoothly organised, its result clearly communicated. Ms Baerbock’s approval at a party congress in June will be a formality.
This article appeared in the Europe section of the print edition under the headline “Green on black”
From the April 24th 2021 edition
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