Sixth German state premier quits

Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, sought to limit the damage in her centre-right Christian Democratic Union on the 19 July 2010 after the resignation of a sixth state premier in less than a year left the leadership ranks of the ruling CDU party decimated.

The decision of Ole von Beust, the popular mayor of the city-state of Hamburg and a close ally of the Chancellor, to quit follows the earlier resignations of Roland Koch, Premier of the state of Hesse, and Jürgen Rüttgers, Premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, both of whom were deputy leaders of the CDU.

ESO: Background information: Merkel critic to step down as Hesse PM http://www.europeansources.info/record/merkel-critic-to-step-down-as-hesse-pm/

Deutsche Welle, 19.7.10: Merkel appears unfazed by Hamburg ally's resignation as opposition sharpens knives http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5817413,00.html

Spiegel Online International, 19.7.10: Wave of Resignations Dangerous for Merkel http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,707276,00.html

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