FILE: Merkel 'heir' AKK gives up on 2021 candidacy: party source Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the woman widely seen as German Chancellor Angela Merkel's choice to succeed her, will not lead her CDU party into next year's election, a party source told AFP Monday. Known as "AKK", Kramp-Karrenbauer took over from Merkel as CDU chairwoman and presumptive chancellor candidate in 2018 after a string of regional election batterings for the conservative bloc, but "has now said she will not be a candidate for the chancellery", the source said. FILE IMAGES