Germany’s Green party has named its co-chair Annalena Baerbock as candidate for chancellor in autumn’s federal election, as the party rides high in the polls and the ruling conservative bloc squabbles over its own choice to succeed Angela Merkel. Baerbock, 40, viewed as a tenacious, down-to earth centrist with an eye for detail, and an expert on climate change and how to tackle it, told a small party gathering she aimed to “make politics for society at large”. The Greens’ strongest ever standing in the polls – it is in second place behind the ruling CDU-CSU alliance with between 21 and 23% of the vote – means it has a realistic chance of forming a new government. This is the first time since its formation that it has nominated a candidate for chancellor.
