Germany’s Merkel Re-Elected Party Leader

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has been overwhelmingly re-elected the leader of the ruling coalition’s conservative Christian Democratic Union.

Ms. Merkel, who has run Europe’s largest economy since 2005, ran unopposed in the party election Monday and received over 90 percent of the votes.

In a speech to the party, she defended her government’s economic model and took credit for Germany’s economic rebound.

But Ms. Merkel’s party has slumped in opinion polls, and may face a tough time in six German state elections next year.

The German leader also used her speech to bolster the battered euro. She said the European currency is the “glue” that holds Europe together.

Some information in this story was provided by AP, AFP, Bloomberg and Reuters.