High Time Pressure on Merz: Focus on Spahn's Successor

Friedrich Merz is facing enormous time pressure to arrange the succession of Jens Spahn as the leader of the Union faction. Among the favorites for the succession are Thorsten Frei and Carsten Linnemann, both of whom are considered strong candidates. According to WELT political reporter Leonie von Randow, the credibility of the Union has been significantly damaged in recent polls. This presents Merz with the challenge of not only finding a suitable successor but also regaining voter trust.