Angela Merkel has announced she will not seek reelection as Germany's Chancellor in 2021 and will step down as the chair of her party at the end of the year.
It would mark an end to a 13-year era in which she has dominated European politics.
Her decision to step down as chairwoman comes after her CDU party suffered its second regional election setback in as many weeks.
Merkel said she made the decision in order to bring in a new chapter to German politics.

"With this decision I am trying to make a contribution which enables the German government to finally concentrate its efforts on good governance, something people demand and rightly so. This step is also based on the clear intention of the German government to carry out an evaluation of its work at mid-term which the CDU, the CSU and the SPD agreed on in their coalition deal."

Her announcement has kickstarted a race among senior figures to be her successor.
Among the candidates to throw their hat in the ring include Health Minister Jens Spahn and former leader of the CDU-CSU parliamentary group Friedrich Merz.