CDU nominates Ilse Aigner as candidate for German president

The steering committee of Germany's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has nominated Bavarian politician Ilse Aigner as its candidate for the office of federal president, according to DW.

Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on November 8 that he intended to appoint Aigner as the country's next president in 2027, making her the first woman in the post, according to The Straits Times. He made the announcement at a dinner for leaders of his centre-right CDU party, confirming information leaked last week by party sources.

Aigner, 61, belongs to the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party of the CDU. She is currently the speaker of Bavaria's state parliament, a role she has held since 2018.

Candidacy and support

The CSU and the Social Democratic Party (SPD) support Aigner's nomination. The SPD Executive Committee endorsed her nomination, stating: "She is an experienced, down-to-earth politician who possesses the important ability to bring people together across party and social lines."

SPD leader and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil has voiced support for her nomination. Dietmar Woidke, one regional SPD leader, told Politico that she would be the "perfect candidate" for the job, adding: "She knows German politics like the back of her hand."

The CDU/CSU and SPD command a majority in the Federal Assembly, the special committee that elects a German president. The committee comprises 1,260 people in all, made up of federal and state lawmakers, and sometimes municipal officials and others from public life.

Election timeline

Current President Frank-Walter Steinmeier's second five-year term comes to an end next March. The Federal Assembly convenes in late January to choose his successor. Steinmeier, who took office in 2017, will reach the limit of two five-year terms in March 2027.

If elected, Aigner would be the first woman and the first CSU member to lead Germany. All twelve heads of state to date have been men. Six came from the CDU, three from the SPD, two from the FDP, and one—Joachim Gauck—was an independent.

Background

Aigner began her parliamentary career in the Bavarian legislature in 1994, then moved to the Bundestag federal parliament in 1998, before returning to the Bavarian chamber in 2013. She spent five years as federal agriculture minister under then-Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Merz and Aigner have known each other since 1998 and, according to sources close to the chancellor, have been "close friends in their private lives" for 25 years. Merz had already discussed the candidate selection with Aigner back in August, but had not yet made a decision at that time.

Why it matters

Aigner's nomination gives her a strong chance of becoming Germany's first female head of state. The coalition parties—the CDU, CSU, and SPD—hold a majority in the Federal Assembly, which elects the president on January 30. If elected, she would replace outgoing President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in the largely ceremonial post when his term ends on March 18, 2027.

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Sources

• dw.com: Germany: CDU names Ilse Aigner as candidate for president
• straitstimes.com: Friedrich Merz says he will name Ilse Aigner as Germany’s first woman president | The Straits Times
• bluewin.ch: Ilse Aigner Nominated for Federal President – CDU and SPD Back Her

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.