2020 Christian Democratic Union of Germany leadership election
The 2020 Christian Democratic Union leadership election is set to take place during the party's 33rd Congress in Berlin on 25 April 2020 following Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer's decision in February 2020 to resign as Leader of the Christian Democratic Union in part due to the Thüringia political crisis.

After her announcement, Norbert Röttgen surprisingly announced on the 18 February his intention to stand for the leadership. This was followed by a joint announcement on the 25 February by Armin Laschet and Jens Spahn in which Spahn endorsed Laschet for the leadership and Laschet announced his intention to stand. A couple of hours later, Friedrich Merz in turn announced his intention to stand for the leadership of the party.

Candidates

Declared

Armin Laschet 
The prime minister of the populous North-Rhine Westphalia region since 2017. Lasche chose Jens Spahn, Minister of Health and candidate in the previous CDU leadership election, as his deputy. Characterizing his campaign as a bridge between the centrist and right wing faction, Lasche views his and Spahn's leadership will solve the crisis in the CDU, which has been rocked by the fallout from regional CDU lawmakers voting with the far right to elect the premier of the eastern state of Thuringia, and which suffered one of its worst-ever electoral results in Hamburg.

CDU member since 1979. Has held a variety of positions in local, state, federal and European politics, including stints as an MEP and regional minister overseeing the “integration” of foreigners. Seen as a moderate who is close to Merkel's vision of the CDU. A devout Catholic, Laschet opposed gay marriage and has advocated banning headscarves for girls up to age 14. Despite those views, Laschet tapped  Spahn, a married gay man, to be his deputy, and is seen as a champion of migrant rights. Widely considered to be good-natured and adept at building consensus. Critics say he is too much like Merkel and not conservative enough to win back voters the CDU lost to the far right.

Friedrich Merz 
Merz is a returning rival of Merkel hoping to bring voters lost by Merkel's centrism back to the CDU. Losing leadership of the party in the early 2000s, Merz lost his position as leader of the CDU/CSU Group in the Bundestag and left the  Bundestag in 2009 for a career in the private sector. Since his first political retirement, Merz has worked for insurer AXA to chemical giant BASF to investment group BlackRock. When Merkel announced her resignation from the CDU leadership, Merz announced he would challenge Merkel's preferred successor, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, for the position as leader in 2017.  He was unsuccessful in winning leadership in 2017, placing second behind Karrenbauer. 

A law-and-order, free-market conservative. Merz promises to win back disgruntled CDU voters who have defected to the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD). Both allies and rivals attest to Merz’s sharp mind and detailed knowledge of complicated policy issues. Critics point out he is to right wing for the party, having opposed a 1997 reform to criminalize rape within a marriage and avocates the so-called Leitkultur, which is the promotion of German culture, mores and traditions among migrants.

Norbert Röttgen 
The chair of the Bundestag's foreign affairs committee and served as federal environment minister between 2009 and 2012. Joined the CDU in high school and built a career in the party, becoming a member of parliament in 1994.  Röttgen fell out of favour with the Merkel in 2012, after choosing to run for the premiership in North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany’s most populous state, and achieving one of the worst results in his party’s history. He was sacked from cabinet days after the result.  

A centrist, Röttgen is well liked by older, establishment CDU insiders. He advocates the core values of the old German republic—transatlanticism, the Franco-German partnership and a strong anchoring of Germany in the EU. Seen as solidly grounded in all the major political issues of the day. Critics have pointed to his loss in North Rhine-Westphalia and he "lacks the common touch" to steer the party in the current state of German politics.

Opinion polling

Results