Hape Kerkeling or Ilse Aigner? Comedian shows himself to be a fair loser

Hape Kerkeling wouldn't be Hape Kerkeling if he didn't show greatness even in the moment of defeat. It hasn't been officially announced yet, but according to SPIEGEL information, the Union has agreed on CSU woman Ilse Aigner as the candidate for the office of Federal President. Before the CDU presidium discussed the personnel this Sunday evening, Kerkeling had already said goodbye to the candidate race.

“I wish Ilse Aigner all the best for this wonderful task,” said the entertainer in a short Instagram clip. The route to Bellevue Palace, the official residence of the head of state, leads through political activity. “This is the democratic process and I respect it completely,” said Kerkeling.

In recent weeks, the 61-year-old has increasingly attracted public attention with political messages. At a debate on German Unity Day in the Thuringian state parliament, he renewed his call for a ban on the right-wing extremist AfD - and was then exposed to fierce hostility from the right. However, his continued call to defend freedom and democracy was also well received by many. Most recently, around 170,000 supporters called in an online petition for Kerkeling to be elected Federal President in the Federal Assembly at the beginning of 2027 as the successor to Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

Kerkeling himself apparently thought this was possible at some point, given the ongoing support from many quarters. At least he said to a TV camera in the summer after an awards ceremony: "After everything that's happening in the world and when I look at who is at the top of nations, I'm not ruling anything out anymore."

Shortly before Ilse Aigner's expected freestyle, Kerkeling thanked his supporters. "I read your comments and it humbles me," he said. »Thanks for every single click.«

At the same time, he made it clear that he wanted to continue to fight for freedom and democracy. “Confidence in our democracy is currently shaky,” he said. »But your support shows me: I am not alone, we are not alone. You want a society that listens to each other again, cohesion and confidence. This is exactly what our country needs now.«

Addressing his supporters, Kerkeling said: "You want someone from the outside who is not a professional politician, but who speaks plainly without raising his voice." Even if he does not become Federal President: "Please never stop interfering," said Kerkeling. “It’s important that we remain vocal about our values.”