![]() When it comes to foreign policy, and European policy in particular, Laschet is without doubt the more experienced of the two contenders. In fact, whoever takes over is going to come under even greater pressure to keep Germany at the forefront of key international developments." 'European' vs. "Meanwhile, Germany's influence in international politics has risen significantly in recent years and the next chancellor will be expected to live up to the country's growing importance. ![]() Laschet (right, here with former French Prime Minister Edouard Philippe) has a strong European policy background Image: picture-alliance/dpa/O. ![]() "Any successor to an incumbent with one and a half decades of foreign policy experience, an incumbent who has been steeled in countless crises, is going to need time to grow into the role," he told DW. And given Berlin's increasing weight in the European Union and internationally, the stakes are high: whoever wins the top job in German politics is going to face some very tough challenges, said Johannes Varwick, professor of international relations at Halle University. Germany's conservatives are expected to decide in late May who will be their official candidate for the chancellery. Little doubt therefore that he was aiming to tout both his foreign policy credentials and his profile as a firm advocate of Germany's export sector. Speaking in English, the two leaders had apparently discussed joint aviation projects such as the planned development of a European fighter jet, given that key players in the fields of civilian and military aviation are headquartered in Bavaria. Their discussion, the Bavarian premier said, had reflected "broad consensus." Söder, who serves as premier of another of Germany's largest states - Bavaria - and heads the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party of the chancellor's conservatives, pointed out that he had just come out of a 45-minute telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron. But his rival Markus Söder was quick to respond.
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