BERLIN, Feb 10 — Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the leader of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) and her protegee, will not run for chancellor in next year’s federal election, a source in her party said today.

The source said Merkel wanted Kramp-Karrenbauer to remain a minister. Kramp-Karrenbauer is Germany’s defence minister.

Kramp-Karrenbauer has been struggling to assert her control over her conservative party after a regional branch defied her by backing a local leader helped into office by the far right. — Reuters