Hesse's State Premier and CDU Deputy Chairman Volker Bouffier, Deputy Chairwoman Silvia Breher, candidate for leader of the CDU, CDU Secretary General Paul Ziemiak, North Rhine-Westphalia's State Premier and new leader of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) Armin Laschet, candidate Friedrich Merz, Deputy Chairwoman Julia Kloeckner, Deputy Chairman Thomas Strobl and German Health Minister Jens Spahn stand at the end of the party's 33rd congress held online amidst the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Berlin, Germany January 16, 2021. Odd Andersen/Pool via REUTERS