Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced his intention to propose Ilse Aigner, president of the Bavarian parliament, for the position of Federal President of Germany. If elected on January 30, she would become the first woman to hold this office in the country’s history.
Friedrich Merz officially confirmed his choice on Sunday to the leaders of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU): it is Ilse Aigner whom he intends to put at the head of the German state. The formal nomination is to take place on Monday, during a meeting of party leaders called to agree on a common candidate.
A member of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian conservative party, Aigner currently presides over the parliament of the state of Bavaria. She has been known to the chancellor since 1998, with both officials having worked together within the German right for nearly three decades.
Her election, scheduled for January 30, would mark a double turning point: she would succeed Frank-Walter Steinmeier, from the Social Democratic Party (SPD), the junior partner in the governing coalition, and become the first woman to hold the federal presidency since the founding of the Federal Republic. The SPD and the Greens have already indicated their support for her candidacy, which bodes well for a smooth election within the Federal Assembly.
The German federal presidency is a largely ceremonial and symbolic role, distinct from the executive power exercised by the chancellor. The president represents the state, promulgates laws, and plays a role as guarantor of institutions, without directing the government on a daily basis.
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