The German leader has also ruled out standing for a senior position within the EU with speculation growing she wants to quit politics completely.
A party spokesman revealed Mrs Merkel will step aside from leading the country in 2021, in the wake of a disastrous regional election in Hesse.
Angela Merkel’s party, the Christian Democratic Union, suffered a 10 percent slump in the polls yesterday, to win just 28 percent of the vote in the central German state elections.
CDU sources said Mrs Merkel has told her party she will not stand as a candidate for Chancellor or MP after 2021 but she has not announced what her long term plans are.
Earlier today Mrs Merkel announced she would not stand for re-election as leader of the CDU during the selection process in December.
During a CDU leadership meeting this morning, Mrs Merkel said she wanted to remain Chancellor until 2021.
However political commentators have said this could leave the Chancellor sitting as a lame duck, especially given Mrs Merkel’s previous comments that she believes the two positions should be linked.
Mrs Merkel has been leader of the CDU since 2000, and Chancellor for 13 years, a period which has seen her dominate EU and world politics..
She has also ruled out running for a senior position in the European Union after the European parliament elections next year, members of her Christian Democrats (CDU) conservative party said.
The move has led many to speculate she wants to quit politics altogether.
However the news that she was stepping down completely still came as a shock to CDU officials who thought last weekend’s election…
