“There will also be a lot to do in the future” – Aigner speaks out before a possible nomination

Bavaria's state parliament president Ilse Aigner (CSU) has spoken out in a post on Instagram in which she looks back on her eight years as president of the Bavarian state parliament.

In it she also thanked the MPs for the trust they had placed in her. It had previously become known that the Union wanted to nominate Aigner as a candidate for the office of Federal President.

On Sunday evening, the CDU presidium will meet in Berlin to discuss the successor to Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Party leader and Chancellor Friedrich Merz is expected to propose Aigner as the Union's joint candidate for the election in the Federal Assembly on January 30th.

CSU boss Markus Söder had already brought Aigner into play as a candidate in April. This week, according to information from several high-ranking sources, the CDU leadership also committed to her. The 61-year-old also has the support of the SPD. Merz himself has not yet commented publicly on Aigner and has referred to the committee meetings.

Coalition has majority of 50 votes

The Union and the SPD have a majority of around 50 votes in the Federal Assembly. It is likely that Merz will also try to get the Greens on board, who have also shown sympathy for Aigner. The Chancellor has spoken out in favor of a “centre candidate”.

Aigner would be the first female Federal President after twelve men have been at the head of the Federal Republic of Germany in the past eight decades. She would also be the first CSU politician to hold this office. Six came from the CDU, three from the SPD, two from the FDP and one, Joachim Gauck, was non-party.