Merkel Calls for Germany’s First Female President
Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel has urged for a woman to take over from President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, noting that no woman has held the position in the country’s 77-year history. Speaking to MagentaTV, she questioned whether “it might finally be time” for a female president and mentioned she knows qualified candidates without naming any.
Germany’s next head of state will be elected on 30 January, as Steinmeier is not eligible for a third term. The presidential role is largely ceremonial.
Bavarian parliamentary speaker Ilse Aigner, backed by Markus Söder, leader of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU), is among the contenders. Other names currently under consideration include Bundestag president Julia Klöckner, Education Minister Karin Prien, and former Defence Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, all from Merkel’s centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
Merkel called the ongoing debate regarding the candidates “strange” and criticised its “unpleasant undertone,” emphasizing that the CDU’s identity should encompass more than just economic policy and should aim to unite all parts of society.
