Hendrik West, 51, head of the CDU of Germany's most populous state (NRW, 18 million people) and widely viewed as a potential successor to Chancellor Martz.

Hendrik West, 51, head of the CDU of Germany's most populous state (NRW, 18 million people) and widely viewed as a potential successor to Chancellor Martz.

Governed NRW since 2021 in a CDU-Green coalition.

He told ZDF that he wanted to remain as prime minister - "Trust is rebuilt by governance, not personnel discussions."

But he did not issue a hard commitment "never to Berlin".

The next election in NRW is in April 2027. The CDU's polls are down from 2022 but still first.

This week he visited Turkey on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the German-Turkish labor agreement.

has called the AfD "the main opponent of democracy" and is open to considering a party ban.

Background: Lawyer in Münsterland, CDU member since the age of 17, youngest member of CDU state parliament when elected in 2005, former transport minister under Laschet.