German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has nominated Ilse Aigner, 61, as the CDU's candidate for Federal President. The Federal Convention will vote on January 30, 2027, and Steinmeier cannot run again after two terms.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has formally nominated Ilse Aigner, 61, as the Christian Democratic Union's candidate for the office of Federal President. The CDU presidium accepted Merz's proposal, Merz and Aigner said at a joint press conference in Berlin on November 9, 2026.
Merz said the CDU's federal executive committee had accepted his proposal to nominate Aigner as the party's candidate for president. He praised her long political experience, sense of responsibility, and commitment to parliamentary democracy, and described her as a candidate who can bring parties together and provide direction.
Aigner said she hopes to become a candidate representing the centrist path, bridging social divisions and eliminating barriers through political efforts. She said she would firmly oppose the trend of increasing polarization in German politics.
Aigner has been president of the Bavarian state parliament since 2018. She served in the German Bundestag from 1998 to 2013, was federal agriculture minister from 2008 to 2013, and was Bavarian deputy premier from 2013 to 2018. She is a member of the CSU, the CDU's Bavarian sister party.
The SPD, the CDU/CSU's coalition partner, has indicated support for her nomination. The Greens have also signaled sympathy for her candidacy. The CDU/CSU and SPD hold a majority in the Federal Convention, the body that elects the president.
The Federal Convention will meet on January 30, 2027, to elect the successor to current President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Steinmeier has served two terms and cannot run for re-election. If elected, Aigner would be the first woman and the first CSU politician to serve as Federal President.
The nomination puts Aigner on course to become Germany's first female Federal President. The election will take place at a time the chancellor described as marked by geopolitical crises, growing societal tensions, and increasing support for extremist political fringes.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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The CDU has nominated Bavarian politician Ilse Aigner as its candidate for Germany's next federal president. The CSU and SPD support her nomination, and the Federal Assembly is set to vote on January 30.
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