If A Coalition Collapse Occurs....Top Three Replacement CDU-CSU Leaders?

 I paused over the scenario of a coalition collapse last night....considering who'd replace Merz in the voting situation.

First, the coalition is 'fairly' safe at present, and have a 'grace-period'....to emerge out of the recession period. I doubt this collapse would occur in 2026....odds increase in 2027.

Top three candidates?

Jens Spahn (CDU) - Leader of the CDU/CSU parliamentary group in the Bundestag. On debate skills....one of the top three from the entire Bundestag.

Markus Söder (CSU) - Chairman of the CSU and Minister-President of Bavaria. 

Thorsten Frei (CDU) - Head of the Chancellery (Chief of Staff). 

Wildcard?  Julia Klöckner (CDU), the current President of the Bundestag.  The current President of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier....wraps up his era in Feb 2027, and I suspect Klöckner might be replacing Steinmeier.