German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is to nominate Bavarian politician Ilse Aigner as the country’s next president, a move that would make her Germany’s first female head of state.
Mr Merz announced his choice at a dinner for senior figures in his centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) on Sunday.
Ms Aigner, 61, is speaker of the Bavarian state parliament and a member of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the CDU’s sister party in Bavaria.
Her nomination is due to be confirmed at a joint CDU and CSU meeting on Monday. If approved, she would be expected to be formally elected.
The governing coalition comprises the CDU, CSU and Social Democratic Party (SPD), whose support for Ms Aigner has frequently been voiced. German political practice requires coalition parties to agree on a common candidate.
Germany’s president is chosen by the Federal Convention, a body convened specifically for the election. It will select a successor to incumbent Frank-Walter Steinmeier on January 30.
Mr Steinmeier, a Social Democrat, became president in 2017 and will reach the limit of two five-year terms in March 2027.
Although the presidency is largely ceremonial, the holder signs legislation into law and formally appoints ministers. The role can also provide a neutral voice above party politics and serve as a symbol of national unity.
The CSU put forward Ms Aigner earlier this year, but the CDU delayed its endorsement while Mr Merz considered other candidates, causing tension between the two parties.
Ms Aigner began her political career in local government before entering the federal parliament in 1998. She later served as agriculture minister under former chancellor Angela Merkel before returning to Bavaria, where she became speaker of the state parliament in 2018.
