Angela Merkel will not seek reelection

Angela Merkel announced Monday that this would be her final parliamentary term as Germany’s chancellor. At the same meeting with the leadership of the Christian Democratic Union, Merkel said she would also step down as leader of the party, which lost significant ground in a regional election Sunday, and would not try to influence who is chosen as her successor.

Merkel has served as chancellor of Germany since 2005 and has no plans to run for any political office when she leaves at the end of her term in 2021. Merkel’s party and its political allies, dubbed the “grand coalition,” faced serious voter backlash over the weekend after months of infighting. Merkel’s term as party leader will end in December.