I think he'll skip this election and remain in Bavaria instead.
Don't really care about him personally or politically, he seems similar to Kurz though.
Laschet would also be the better Chancellor candidate for the Union.
Possible. I have a feeling Merkel's successor as chancellor will have the same fate as AKK and not lost for very long. I think he, whoever it will be, is going to be chancellor for about two years and then forced out for a lack of authority. However, that's based on nothing else but gut feeling.