Angela Merkel Will Quit as Christian Democrat Party Chairwoman

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has told leaders of her party that she will not seek re-election as chairwoman at a conference in early December, a senior senior party source said.

Despite stepping down from her role as chairwoman of the Christian Democrats, Merkel maintains that she will remain as chancellor. 

She has been the party's chairwoman since 2000 and giving up the role would start a race within the party to succeed her as chancellor.

This comes as she is been facing calls to quit from her own conservatives to cede the party's leadership today, further eroding her authority after painful losses in a regional election.  

Merkel's CDU came first in Sunday's election in the western state of Hesse but support fell by more than 11 points, reigniting a succession debate by conservatives unhappy with the chancellor's grip on power.

She also faces pressure from her Social Democrat (SPD) junior coalition partners, who have also bled support in Hesse and are under pressure to rethink their alliance with Merkel.

SPD leader Andrea Nahles, whose party saw support fall to its lowest since 1946, threatened to end the alliance with Merkel's conservatives if there is no improvement on policy.

Merkel, chancellor for 13 years, will have to invest her political capital and tactical acumen to keep together her loveless coalition, borne out of necessity seven months ago after an inconclusive federal election last year.

This will distract her from tending to major challenges at home and abroad - ranging from overcoming a digital deficit and pushing the German car industry toward cleaner mobility to seeing through euro zone reforms and managing Britain's planned departure from the European Union.

'The election results show...