2018 Christian Democratic Union of Germany leadership election

The 2018 Christian Democratic Union leadership election was held in Hamburg on 7 December 2018. This is after Angela Merkel's decision in October 2018 not to stand for party leader at the 2018 party conference following the party's bad performance in the 2018 Hessian state election and low numbers in national polls.

On 29 October 2018, both the CDU's General Secretary Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer and the Federal Minister of Health Jens Spahn announced their candidacy in the election. This was followed by Merkel's arch-rival Friedrich Merz announced his bid on 30 October 2018.Wer löst Merkel ab?, n-tv, 29 Oct 2018

Kramp-Karrenbauer was elected leader by winning 45.05% of the vote. Merz won 39.24% of the vote and Spahn won 15.72% of the vote.

Candidates
 Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer — General Secretary of the CDU (2018–today), Minister-President of Saarland (2011–2018), Leader of the CDU Saar (2011–2018), Minister for Family and Social Affairs in Saarland (2009–2011), Minister for Education in Saarland (2007–2009), Minister for the Interior in Saarland (2000–2007), Member of Landtag of Saarland (1999–2018), Member of Bundestag (1998)Zwei Konservative, eine Merkel-Treue, ZEIT, 219 Oct 2018 Kramp-Karrenbauer has been endorsed by the Saarland state association of the CDU.
 Friedrich Merz — Leader of the Opposition and Parliamentary Leader of the CDU (2000–2002), Member of Bundestag (1994–2009), Member of the European Parliament (1989–1994) Merz has been endorsed by the local associations of Fulda and of Hochsauerland.
 Jens Spahn — Minister for Health (2018–today), Parliamentary Secretary of State for Finance (2015–2018), Member of Bundestag (2002–today) Spahn has been endorsed by the local association of Borken.

Polling
 Publication date Poll source AnnegretKramp-Karrenbauer FriedrichMerz JensSpahn None/Others 23 Nov 2018 FGW  30 24 6 40 17 Nov 2018 Emnid  30 31 12 27 15 Nov 2018 Infratest dimap 43 32 10 15 11 Nov 2018 Emnid 32 30 9 29 9 Nov 2018 FGW 31 25 6 38 4 Nov 2018 Emnid 27 38 13 22 1 Nov 2018 YouGov  17 23 7 53

References

Category:2018 elections
Category:2018 in Europe
Category:2010s in Germany
Category:2010s elections in Europe
Category:Elections in Germany
Category:December 2018 events
Category:Hamburg