Scholz’s party dismisses questions about German leader’s election candidacy

BERLIN (AP) — The leadership of Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s party has sought to squash questions about his candidacy in next year’s national election after narrowly beating the far right in a regional vote. Scholz’s center-left Social Democrats beat the far-right Alternative for Germany in the eastern state of Brandenburg Sunday. The party’s co-leader, Lars Klingbeil, took comfort from the outcome for the national election due next September. The party’s performances in the European Parliament election in June and in two state elections in eastern Germany on Sept. 1 were dismal and it is performing poorly in nationwide polls. Scholz has said that he will seek a second term.