Friedrich Merz Secures CDU Leadership as Angela Merkel Returns

Friedrich Merz secured re-election as the leader of the Christian Democratic Union with 91.17% of the vote after delegates at the 38th party congress in Stuttgart used paper ballots due to technical failures.Former Chancellor Angela Merkel attended the event in her first congress appearance since 2019, signaling a move toward party unity as the organization navigates a shift toward a more conservative approach.The party confirmed Carsten Linnemann as General Secretary and Christina Stumpp as deputy while the leadership reaffirmed its refusal to cooperate with the Alternative for Germany.