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Edition: U.S. Article Comments (0) Save Email Print Reprints Most Popular Most Shared Text from North Korea statement 10:52am EDT North Korea threatens fight with South | Video 3:22pm EDT Obama tells military: prepare for North Korea aggression 24 May 2010 Covert U.S. operations authorized in secret order 24 May 2010 Embattled BP readies bid to plug gushing Gulf well | Video 4:47pm EDT U.S. reverses stance on treaty to regulate arms trade 14 Oct 2009 UPDATE 2-U.S., European economies face major hurdles-GE CEO 24 May 2010 Wall Street ends flat after late rally | Video 4:38pm EDT BP exploring new option to siphon off spill oil 3:04am EDT Dell's Streak readies for battle with iPad 2:01pm EDT Text from North Korea statement 10:52am EDT U.S. reverses stance on treaty to regulate arms trade 14 Oct 2009 Euro seen heading for parity with dollar 7:38am EDT Exclusive: U2's North American tour cancelled 8:51am EDT North Korea threatens fight with South | Video 3:22pm EDT Raleigh ranked top U.S. city for quality of life: poll 24 May 2010 Obama tells military: prepare for North Korea aggression 24 May 2010 Jamaica violence over drug-lord extradition kills 31 2:11pm EDT Scenarios: Europe's debt woes could weigh on U.S. recovery 24 May 2010 No evidence organic foods benefit health: study 24 May 2010 Commentary Bernd Debusmann: In Mexico, a drug war of choice? Mexico's drug war history has two versions, one of which paints President Felipe Calderon in a desperate fight to legitimize his presidency by waging war on drug cartels. Is he stuck in a battle he can't win? Commentary Slideshow: Mexico's bloody drug war Merkel party deputy Koch to step down Angelika Gruber WIESBADEN, Germany Tue May 25, 2010 3:18pm EDT Related News Koch's exit may harm Merkel in the long term 3:16pm EDT WIESBADEN, Germany (Reuters) - Hesse state premier Roland Koch, a powerful leader in Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrats (CDU), quit politics on Tuesday in a move that could further erode support for the conservatives. World Koch, long seen as a rising star in the CDU with ambitions for higher office, told a news conference in the Hessian capital Wiesbaden that he would return to work as a lawyer or in the private sector, though he would remain politically active. Koch, a fiscal conservative and law-and-order hard-liner, has clashed at times with Merkel. He avoided criticizing her but had an indirect parting shot at Merkel's cautious leadership style that has also been blamed for exacerbating the euro zone crisis. "As far as national politics is concerned, I'll allow myself the freedom to (speak out against our) refusal to make or delay decisions only because we're afraid of the echo," said Koch, 52. It was not immediately clear if Koch's political career would be over with his resignation effective August 31 as Hesse state premier or his stepping down as one of Merkel's three deputy CDU leaders at a national party congress in November. But Koch, a talented orator, has a strong following on the conservative wing of the CDU. He is also widely regarded as one of the CDU's top authorities on economic and financial issues -- and an important counter-weight to Merkel's drift to the left. "Naturally I'm going to stay a political creature even if it's from a different perspective," Koch said. "I remain convinced that the CDU can, with courage and determination, lead our country into a future of freedom and prosperity." Koch noted with a smile that he would be the first Hesse state premier to leave on his own volition. Hesse Interior Minister and close Koch ally Volker Bouffier is set to succeed him as premier, the CDU said late on Tuesday. The 58-year old lawyer will be put forward for the job at a party conference on June 12. THORN Koch has been a thorn in Merkel's side at times during his 11 years in power. His departure might offer short-term relief for Merkel but hurt the CDU in the long run. Another financial policy expert, Friedrich Merz, left the political spotlight in spectacular fashion after losing a long-running battle with Merkel over economic policies. Merz, 54, was the popular leader of the CDU's parliamentary group until Merkel took that job herself in 2002. He remained her deputy until he quit in 2004. She did not support his ideas on simplifying tax codes and cracking down on welfare cheats. Koch recently clashed with Merkel over budget cuts when the chancellor dismissed his suggestion that education should be examined as one area to reduce spending. But Koch was at pains to gloss over any differences and said he told Merkel of his plans to step down at some point about a year ago. "It's not an easy decision for me, by any means," Koch said. "I've really enjoyed this job. The decision now is right for Hesse, right for my party and right for me. Change for Hesse and the CDU in Hesse after 11-1/2 years is a good thing. "I'm in the fortunate situation of being still young enough -- after working as an attorney, opposition leader and state premier -- to start a new career." Koch, one of three party deputies to Merkel, has been the state premier of Hesse since 1999. He had been reported to be interested in running the Finance Ministry in Berlin as a possible replacement for ailing incumbent Wolfgang Schaeuble. Koch became a national figure in 1999 when he unexpectedly defeated the Social Democrat state premier Hans Eichel. He had long been viewed in some party circles as a candidate for higher office -- even chancellor. (Writing by Erik Kirschbaum; editing by Ralph Boulton) World Add a Comment *We welcome comments that advance the story directly or with relevant tangential information. We try to block comments that use offensive language or appear to be spam and review comments frequently to ensure they meet our standards. If you see a comment that you believe is irrelevant or inappropriate, you can flag it to our editors by using the report abuse links. Views expressed in the comments do not represent those of Reuters. © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Editorial Editions: Africa Arabic Argentina Brazil Canada China France Germany India Italy Japan Latin America Mexico Russia Spain United Kingdom United States Reuters Contact Us Advertise With Us Help Journalism Handbook Archive Site Index Video Index Analyst Research Mobile Newsletters RSS Podcasts Widgets Your View Labs Thomson Reuters Copyright Disclaimer Privacy Professional Products Professional Products Support Financial Products About Thomson Reuters Careers Online Products Acquisitions Monthly Buyouts Venture Capital Journal International Financing Review Project Finance International PEhub.com PE Week Thomson Reuters is the world's largest international multimedia news agency, providing investing news, world news, business news, technology news, headline news, small business news, news alerts, personal finance, stock market, and mutual funds information available on Reuters.com, video, mobile, and interactive television platforms. 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