Merkel on the spot after painful regional vote

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer — widely seen as the chancellor’s anointed successor — spoke of a “very painful” night for the CDU in Hesse.

It was the second regional vote in quick succession to disappoint the conservative camp, after a battering in Bavaria two weeks ago.

Merkel’s 13 years in power have piled up baggage from repeated compromise-laden “grand coalitions” with the SPD, as well as a fateful 2015 decision to keep Germany’s borders open, ultimately allowing in more than one million migrants.

The mass arrivals are credited with fuelling the rise of the far-right, but Merkel has resisted calls to steer the CDU further rightward in response.

Although there are many months before the next regional poll, a vote touching the chancellor more personally is slated for December, when she must stand for reelection as party chief.

“In Merkel’s situation, clinging on would be a worse mistake” than giving up the party presidency, conservative daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung commented late Sunday.

“By passing the baton of her own free will she would show that she knows the same thing everyone knows: the end of her chancellorship is approaching.”