German Conservative boss to succeed von der Leyen as minister - source

Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, the head of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democrat party, will succeed Ursula von der Leyen as German defence minister, a source within the party told Reuters on Tuesday.

Von der Leyen, who was confirmed on Tuesday by the European Parliament as the next head of the European Union's executive, steps down from her German role on Tuesday.

Kramp-Karrenbauer, a close Merkel ally who is widely seen as the long-serving chancellor's favoured candidate to succeed her, currently has no government role, which critics say would make it more difficult for her to transition to the chancellorship.