German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to secure the backing of her Christian Democrats (CDU) party for a fourth term in office at the conservative party's annual conference. 
The CDU vote on Tuesday for party chief will form part of the build-up to next September's national election in Germany, according to the (dpa) news agency. 
But the size of the vote for Merkel will underscore the degree to which her political standing has suffered as a result of the refugee crisis, which hit the nation last year and has triggered deep divisions in her party's ranks. 
This year's CDU conference is being held in the western German city of Essen, a city that has special meaning for Merkel as it here that she was first elected CDU chief in 2000. 
Since then, she has been returned eight times as the CDU head, securing 96.7% of the vote when the ballot for party leader was last held two years ago.

Source: QNA