After 18 years Merkel retires, she no longer runs to the top of the CLU.

A high source of the party has confirmed this, Time.net broadcasts.

Merkel has been chairman of the CDU since 2000, and giving up this position will begin with a race within the party.

Merkel's Christian Democratic Party (CDU) has managed to be the first in the elections held in the state of Hese, but with only 27.2 per cent of the vote, based on preliminary results.

This result has seen a sharp decline compared to elections held in 2013, when this party had won 38.3 per cent of the vote.