Germany’s chancellor chooses Ilse Aigner for president

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz announced Ilse Aigner as his choice for president at a dinner for Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leaders on 8 November, Al Jazeera said. Aigner, the speaker of Bavaria’s state parliament, would be Germany’s first woman president if elected.

Aigner belongs to the Christian Social Union (CSU), the CDU’s Bavarian sister party. The CSU proposed her earlier in the year, but the CDU held back its endorsement while Merz considered alternatives.

The path to the presidency

President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will reach the limit of two five-year terms in March 2027. Germany’s presidency is largely ceremonial: the president signs legislation into law, formally appoints ministers and can act as a neutral arbiter above party politics. The president also acts as a symbol of national unity.

The CDU and CSU are due to consider confirming Aigner’s nomination at a meeting on 9 November. Under German political practice, governing coalition parties agree on a common candidate. The coalition’s third party, the Social Democratic Party, has frequently expressed support for Aigner.

The election itself is scheduled for 30 January 2027. Steinmeier’s successor will be chosen by the Federal Convention, a body convened solely to elect the president.