Just days after a scandal involving Germany's top spy threatened to tear apart Angela Merkel coalition, moments ago Germany's chancellor suffered another major blow to her reputation, when her ally, and preferred candidate for Bundestag Caucus Leader, Volker Kauder was unexpectedly voted out of office as the influential head of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group after 13 years on the job.

He was defeated by deputy leader Ralph Brinkhaus in a 125 to 112 vote.

A journalist from Der Spiegel commented: "Merkel era slowly coming to an end".