Dusseldorf, Germany (dpa) – Armin Laschet, the leader of Germany’s ailing Christian Democrats (CDU), plans to submit his resignation as state premier of North Rhine-Westphalia on Monday, according to information received by dpa.

Laschet, who was at one point the front-runner to succeed fellow conservative Angela Merkel as German chancellor, oversaw the CDU’s worst ever showing in parliamentary elections on September 26.

Following his resignation, Laschet plans to present his ministers with their dismissal papers, dpa has learned, in line with legal requirements.

Laschet is due to remain acting state premier until he becomes a member of the German parliament, or Bundestag, in its constitutive session on Tuesday. The state constitution rules out holding both roles simultaneously.

The state’s Transport Minister Hendrik Wuest is currently expected to be elected Laschet’s successor as state premier.

The members of Laschet’s cabinet would formally remain in office until his successor has appointed new ministers.