Merkel declines to comment directly on if she sees Bavarian Premier Soeder as her successor

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has declined to comment directly when asked if she thinks Bavarian State Premier Markus Soeder is a strong candidate to succeed her. Speaking at a joint news conference with Soeder, Merkel said only that Bavaria has a good leader.

Earlier on Tuesday, they attended a meeting of the wealthy southern state’s cabinet at a castle in the middle of a lake. Soeder and Armin Laschet, premier of North Rhine-Westphalia, are seen as leading candidates for the conservative chancellor ticket.

Merkel’s visit was widely seen as a symbolic coronation of Soeder, Reuters said. However, the chancellor said she would accept invitations from other state premiers.