End of Merkel's era set to begin with election of her successor

Germany's Christian Democrats elect a new chairman on Saturday, aiming to unite their conservative party behind a new leader who they hope can succeed Angela Merkel as chancellor when she steps down after federal elections in September.

At stake is the leadership of Europe's biggest economy in the era after Merkel, who has vowed not to run again after becoming Europe's predominant leader since taking office in 2005 and proving a winner with German voters.

The new CDU leader will be elected by 1,001 delegates at a digital congress. By tradition, the leader is usually - though not always - the chancellor candidate for the CDU's "Union" with its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU).

Centrist Armin Laschet, arch-conservative Friedrich Merz and foreign policy expert Norbert Roettgen are vying for the CDU leadership.

However, polls show Markus Soeder, the CSU leader, is voters' choice conservative. Some CDU lawmakers want dynamic Health Minister Jens Spahn to run for chancellor, though he has backed Laschet for the party leadership.