Merkel aide: Chancellor’s plans not to run for fifth term haven’t changed

BERLIN (Reuters) – Angela Merkel’s chief of staff told German broadcasters RTL/n-tv on Monday that he did not think the chancellor’s plans not to run for a fifth term in office had changed after Bild newspaper last week raised the question of whether she might.

“I don’t think this is any time to discuss something like that,” Helge Braun said. “She has said that this is her last term in office and I believe nothing has changed about that.”

Merkel has led Germany for 15 years and has said previously that she will not seek re-election in autumn 2021.