Merz nominates Ilse Aigner as Germany's first female presidential candidate

Nomination announced

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has nominated Ilse Aigner, president of Bavaria's state parliament, as the candidate of his conservative bloc to succeed Frank-Walter Steinmeier as Germany's president. If elected, Aigner would become Germany's first female head of state.

Merz announced the nomination at a press conference in Berlin on Monday, November 9, 2026. He praised Aigner's "consistent stance against extremism, hate and social exclusion" and said it was "high time" that the office be held by a woman.

The candidate

Aigner, 61, is a member of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the Bavarian sister party of Merz's Christian Democratic Union (CDU). She has served as president of the Bavarian state parliament since 2018 and previously served as Germany's agriculture minister under Chancellor Angela Merkel from 2008 to 2013.

Speaking alongside Merz, Aigner said the broad political support for her candidacy was "an important signal against populist and extremist forces in our country". She added: "It humbles me, but it also makes me brave because I want to be a candidate for a strong middle ground."

Election process

Germany's president is elected by the Federal Convention, a special assembly convened solely to choose the head of state. It comprises the 630 members of the Bundestag and an equal number of delegates selected by Germany's 16 state parliaments. The Federal Convention is set to decide on Steinmeier's successor on January 30.

Steinmeier, a former Social Democratic foreign minister, is due to step down in March at the end of his second and final five-year term. The German constitution gives the president a largely ceremonial role, though the office can refuse to sign legislation on constitutional grounds and plays a crucial role in government transitions.

The Social Democrats, Merz's junior coalition partner, and the opposition Greens have signalled their support for Aigner, giving her enough backing to win an absolute majority in the first round of voting, although the secret ballot leaves room for defections. Alternative for Germany intends to field its own candidate, with co-leader Alice Weidel criticizing the nomination.

Why it matters

Aigner's election would mark the first time a woman holds Germany's presidency in the country's post-World War II federal republic, which has had 12 presidents since 1949, all men. It would also make her the first CSU member to take up residence at Schloss Bellevue, the presidential palace in Berlin.

Sources

• ft.com: Friedrich Merz nominates Germany’s first female president
• nypost.com: German chancellor Friedrich Merz nominates country's first female president in Ilse Aigne
• aljazeera.com: Chancellor Merz to nominate Aigner as Germany’s first woman president | Government News | Al Jazeera
• azernews.az: Merz nominates Ilse Aigner as Germany's president
• ottumwacourier.com: Germany set to get its first female president as governing parties unite around ex-minister | National News | ottumwacourier.com
• news.cgtn.com: Merz nominates Ilse Aigner for Germany's presidency

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