Berlin - Germany's Christian Democrats rushed to support Ms Angela Merkel yesterday for the leadership of the party after her chief rival, Mr Volker Ruhe, dropped out of the race.
Ms Merkel, who helped to uncover the financial scandal that forced Dr Helmut Kohl to resign as honorary party chairman, picked up support from influential party leaders after Mr Ruhe quit the race that was turning into a sexist battle pitting elderly party barons against Ms Merkel.
Ms Merkel (45), CDU general secretary, was deputy to the outgoing chairman, Mr Wolfgang Schauble.
