MUNICH - The Bavarian Premier, Mr Edmund Stoiber, said he will not put himself forward as a candidate for the German chancellorship in next year's general election, a newspaper reported yesterday.
Munich's Sueddeutschen Zeitung daily said Mr Stoiber wanted to end the "senseless speculation" about whether he wanted to stand. He had been seen as second favourite to succeed the Chancellor, after Dr Kohl's closest aide, Mr Wolfgang Schauble.