Aigner imagines factions - not the AfD and the Left

The newly elected candidate for the federal presidential election has appointments in Berlin again today. One day after her nomination by the Union, Ilse Aigner introduced herself in the Bundestag. First, a visit to the Union faction is planned, where Chancellor and CDU leader Friedrich Merz as well as CSU leader Markus Söder will also be present. Before that, joint statements from Aigner, Union parliamentary group leader Thorsten Frei and CSU regional group leader Alexander Hoffmann are planned. Aigner then went to the SPD and the Greens.

Rejection of AfD after social media post

However, she will not introduce herself to the AfD. The party had invited Aigner, but Aigner turned her down: "Ms. von Storch publicly described Ilse Aigner's nomination as an indictment. This makes a visit by the AfD faction unnecessary," said Aigner's chief of staff Eric Marcuse. He was referring to an X-post by AfD MP Beatrix von Storch, in which she describes the qualifications based on which, in her opinion, Aigner was selected as a candidate as a "testimony of poverty".

No invitation from the left

Aigner will not initially introduce herself to the Left either because she was not invited by the parliamentary group. Parliamentary Secretary Ina Latendorf said: "She won't be coming tomorrow. There has been no invitation." But she left a loophole open: If Aigner would like to introduce herself, “she is welcome to do so.”

The CDU nominated Aigner for the election on January 30th on Monday. The CSU politician is now the common candidate of the Union parties to succeed Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The leaders of the SPD and the Greens have already assured her of support.