 This view was confirmed when Kramp-Karrenbauer – widely seen as the chancellor's favourite for the post – was voted to succeed Merkel as leader of the CDU in December 2018.Kramp-Karrenbauer's elevation to Defence Minister after Ursula von der Leyen's departure to become president of the European Commission has also boosted her standing as Merkel's most likely candidate for succession.In August 2019, Merkel hinted that she might return to academia at the end of her term in 2021.