German far-right names long-shot presidential candidate

BERLIN (AP) — The far-right Alternative for Germany party has presented a member of former Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Christian Democratic Union as its long-shot candidate to become the country’s next president, prompting his own party to call for him to leave or face possible expulsion. Max Otte, an economist who was previously involved with a think-tank close to Alternative for Germany, last year became the head of the Werte-Union — a group that describes itself as representing conservative members of Merkel’s center-right Christian Democratic Union but isn’t formally linked to the party. Alternative for Germany on Tuesday presented Otte as its choice to challenge President Frank-Walter Steinmeier when a special assembly meets on Feb. 13 to elect a head of state for the next five years.