German Chancellor's CSU Sister Party Elects New Chief

Umer Jamshaid Published January 19, 2019 | 06:14 PM

Bavarian Minister-President Markus Soeder has been elected to head the Christian Social Union (CSU), a conservative Bavarian party that is minor coalition partner of German Chancellor Angela Merkel

MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th January, 2019) Bavarian Minister-President Markus Soeder has been elected to head the Christian Social Union (CSU), a conservative Bavarian party that is minor coalition partner of German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

"Bavarian Minister-President Markus Soeder is the new CSU chief," the CSU said in a post on its Facebook page during a special party congress in Munich.

Soeder will replace Horst Seehofer, who is serving as Federal interior minister. He announced his departure from the CSU top job last fall after the party suffered a humiliating defeat at the elections to the local legislature.

In a Twitter post on Saturday, Seehofer said he was standing down after more than a decade at the helm of the party, adding he was grateful for the wide-ranging support he had enjoyed during his term.