Germany Politics: Angela Merkel's Successor Forced To Defend Her Leadership After Disastrous Regional Election

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's successor Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer has had to defend her leadership after a disastrous regional election Sunday in the central German state of Thuringia.

Merkel and Kramp-Karrenbauer are members of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) which only received 21.4% in the election, while far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) managed to get 23.4% of the vote. The Left Party came out on top with 31%.

Kramp-Karrenbauer was nominated by Merkel as the head of the CDU party in 2018, and is likely to be the next German chancellor. Yet the loss in Thuringia could mean that Kramp-Karrenbauer will face a revolt from members of her own CDU party, who are concerned that her leadership is not delivering results.

At a meeting Monday in Berlin, the head of the CDU youth wing, Tilman Kuban, reportedly said that the "leadership issue must be resolved now."

"I have been elected leader," Kramp-Karrenbauer said at the meeting. "If anyone wants to resolve it sooner they should say so and challenge for the leadership at the party conference in three weeks."

Kramp-Karrenbauer is not only the head of the CDU but also the German Defense Minister since July. She has called for a higher defense budget and proposed a controversial security zone for northern Syria.

Kramp-Karrenbauer has also made gaffes regarding LGBT rights and has been accused of pushing internet censorship, which has prompted voter backlash.

The AfD has had successes in recent regional German elections in the eastern states of Saxony and Brandenburg. The anti-immigrant party has gained support, partly due to Merkel's controversial decision to open Germany's doors to refugees in 2015.