German Chancellor Angela Merkel has declined to comment directly when asked if she thinks Bavarian State Premier Markus Soeder is a strong candidate to succeed her. Speaking at a joint news conference with Soeder, Merkel said only that Bavaria has a good leader.
Earlier on Tuesday, they attended a meeting of the wealthy southern state’s cabinet at a castle in the middle of a lake. Soeder and Armin Laschet, premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, are seen as leading candidates for the conservative chancellor ticket.
Merkel’s visit was widely seen as a symbolic coronation of Soeder, Reuters said. However, the chancellor said she would accept invitations from other state premiers.