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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 26 september 2018

Merkel's party ousts close ally of chancellor from top post

By GEIR MOULSON which has squabbled per- ed any significant policy
Associated Press sistently since it took office changes and has insisted
BERLIN (AP) — A close in March. It came a year that his candidacy wasn't
ally of Chancellor Angela after the conservatives lost directed against Merkel,
Merkel was ousted Tuesday significant support in an but stressed the "indepen-
as head of her conserva- election that saw the far- dence" of the parliamen-
tive bloc's parliamentary right Alternative for Germa- tary group. After Tuesday's
group, a surprise defeat ny enter parliament. vote, he said it's important
that dealt a blow to the Kauder, who had Merkel's to "get to work quickly."
longtime German leader's support, had been wide- The vote had been viewed
authority in her own ranks. ly expected to prevail in as a barometer for Merkel's
Volker Kauder, who had led Tuesday's vote of lawmak- authority in the conserva-
the parliamentary group of ers from Merkel's Christian tive ranks after a difficult
Merkel's Union bloc since Democratic Union and its year.
she became chancellor Bavaria-only sister party, "The parliamentary group's
in 2005, was defeated by the Christian Social Union. German Chancellor Angela Merkel walks through a corridor of revolt against Merkel's
the Reichstag building during a Christian Union parties faction
Ralph Brinkhaus — a bud- But he was defeated by a meeting in Berlin, Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018. candidate of choice is a
get policy expert who had 125-112 margin, with two Associated Press visible sign of the chancel-
been one of his deputies. abstentions. lor's eroding power," the
The vote followed a wob- "This is a moment of democ- She said she hoped to work most Germans, was the first daily Handelsblatt wrote.
bly start to Merkel's fourth racy," Merkel told reporters. well with Brinkhaus and left challenger Kauder, 68, had "Kauder didn't stand for
government, a coalition "Those also include defeats, without taking questions. faced since taking office much anymore, other than
of the Union and the cen- and there's no glossing over The 50-year-old Brinkhaus, 13 years ago. securing majorities for the
ter-left Social Democrats, that." who isn't well-known to Brinkhaus hasn't suggest- chancellor."q

French ex-premier launches bid to become Barcelona mayor

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — port. "Barcelona should be ti-eviction activist wants to
Former French Prime Minis- an antidote against popu- earn re-election but is fac-
ter Manuel Valls launched lism," Valls said, adding that ing mounting criticism for
a bid on Tuesday to be- the city "has to be a meet- her handling of street ven-
come Barcelona's mayor in ing point and a space of dors and the prevalence of
an election next year with cohabitation." drug trafficking in the city
the aim to "rescue" the Cat- But rather than focusing on center.
alan capital from "deterio- the territorial dispute, Valls Valls has been a household
ration." chose to emphasize plans name in French politics for
The 56-year-old Valls, who to bolster security and more than a decade. He
was born in Barcelona but fight inequality in the city served as the mayor of
was raised in France and of 1.6 million, while promis- Evry, a town on the outskirts
made a career in local and ing efforts to boost the lo- of Paris, before becom-
national politics there, said cal economy and raise the ing interior minister in 2012
he would resign as a French France's former prime minister Manuel Valls speaks during a international profile of the and then prime minister be-
lawmaker in order to focus press conference in Barcelona, Spain to announce his candi- "Barcelona brand." tween 2014 and 2016, when
on his bid in the neighbor- dacy for mayor of Barcelona on Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2018. The city, he said switch- Francois Hollande was the
ing country. Associated Press ing between Catalan and country’s president.
His jump to Spanish politics Spanish at a packed audi- After failing in his bid to be-
raises the stakes for the May of Spain. choosing to lead an inde- torium, "is deteriorating and come a presidential candi-
election as a battleground After months of negotia- pendent ticket. His bid has none of us should be indif- date last year, Valls left the
between those who want tions with the anti-secession the backing of the Spanish ferent." Socialist party and joined
the wealthy northeastern Ciutadans (Citizens) party, center-right party led by The comment was an at- Emmanuel Macron’s Re-
Catalan region to either Valls finally announced Albert Rivera but Valls said tack on far-left incumbent public on the Move centrist
break away or remain part on Tuesday that he was that he seeks wider sup- Ada Colau. The former an- party.q