Bavarian leader reaffirms support for Laschet despite poll dip

FILE PHOTO: Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soeder waves at the first event of a CSU election campaign stadium tour, at Hans Bayer stadium, in Unterschleissheim, Germany, August 24, 2021. REUTERS/Andreas Gebert

MUNICH (Reuters) - Bavarian premier Markus Soeder on Thursday rejected calls for him to replace Armin Laschet as conservative candidate to succeed Chancellor Angela Merkel in September's election, throwing his weight behind Laschet's ailing campaign.

Laschet, premier of Germany's most populous region, started the campaign with poll leads of as much as 25%, but missteps and voter doubts have whittled his lead away, with the Social Democrats (SPD) enjoying a narrow lead in some new polls.