Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (L, front), secretary general of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), talks with Angela Merkel, German Chancellor and leader of CDU, prior to the party conference of CDU in Hamburg, Germany, on Dec. 7, 2018. German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union is holding its 31st plenary meeting on Friday and Saturday, when representatives will elect a new party chair to succeed Merkel. (Xinhua/Shan Yuqi)