BERLIN - The fight over the place at the top lasted only 10 days but it felt like an eternity.
When leader of the Christian Social Union Markus Soeder conceded to Mr Armin Laschet, chairman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) - making him the candidate for the chancellorship and to lead their alliance into the September elections - it marked nothing less than a watershed moment.
Already a subscriber? Log in
Read the full story and more at $9.90/month
Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month
ST One Digital
$9.90/month
No contract
ST app access on 1 mobile device
Unlock these benefits
All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com
Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device
E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you
