Merkel’s Bloc Limps Into German Election as Greens Surge Ahead

(Bloomberg) -- Armin Laschet, who salvaged his political career Tuesday when he secured the nomination to lead Angela Merkel’s conservative bloc into September’s election, is already facing a desperate battle to retain the chancellery.

A poll published just hours after Laschet secured the nomination following a nasty fight showed the Greens surging ahead of Merkel’s CDU-led bloc, adding to concerns five months before the election that the group may lose control of Europe’s biggest economy when Merkel exits the stage after 16 years in office. The euro slipped to the day’s low.

The 60-year-old leader of the Christian Democrats is entering the campaign politically wounded. A bruising contest to head the conservative ticket exposed just how many people in his own party doubt his ability and exposed the deep divisions that Merkel’s authority had papered over.

The Forsa poll for German broadcaster RTL showed Merkel’s bloc on 21%, down seven percentage points, and the Greens surging five points to 28%. The Social Democrats scored 13%, ahead of the liberal Free Democrats on 12%.

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