BERLIN (Reuters) - German conservative Friedrich Merz said on Tuesday he would run to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel as leader of the Christian Democrats at a party conference in December.

“After careful consideration and many discussions, I have decided to put forward my candidacy for the leader of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union at the federal party conference in Hamburg,” Merz said in a statement.

On Monday sources had said Merz, a former parliamentary leader of Merkel’s conservative alliance, would run after the chancellor said she would step down as CDU leader, heralding the end of a 13-year era in which she has dominated European politics.