Berlin. The parliamentary group and party leadership of the Greens support the election of Ilse Aigner (CSU) as the new Federal President. “We would like to suggest that you support the election of Ilse Aigner,” write the parliamentary group and party leadership in a letter to the members of the Green parliamentary group, the Green parliamentary groups in the state parliaments and the state chairmen of the party. The letter is available to the German Press Agency in Berlin.
Not the place for “schemes”
In view of increasing social polarization, Katharina Dröge, Britta Haßelmann, Franziska Brantner and Felix Banaszak write that it is important that there are cross-party majorities in the Federal Assembly for a female Federal President. There are many questions in which they sharply criticized the black-red coalition and Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). But: “In this situation, the election of a new head of state is not the scene of party-political intrigue.”
Merz had previously announced Aigner's nomination. The successor to Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD) is to be elected in the Federal Assembly on January 30th next year. The coalition parties CDU, CSU and SPD have a majority of around 50 votes there. With the explicit support of the Greens, Aigner's election in the first round is considered very likely.
Greens have formulated expectations
The Federal Assembly meets specifically to elect the Federal President and consists of half of the 630 members of the Bundestag and half of members sent by the state parliaments. These voters are often not politicians, but when they cast their votes they base their vote on the electoral decision of the parties that send them to the Federal Assembly.
The Greens signaled to the Union and the SPD early on that they were willing to talk and formulated expectations, the letter says. The candidate must be a woman who is able to bring people together, create trust in political institutions, protect basic democratic values, respect differences and be able to convey confidence, especially in challenging moments.
Praise for approachability and empathy
The leading Greens write about Ilse Aigner that they have known her for many years. "Her many years of political experience at the state and federal level, her personal approachability and empathy, her down-to-earth attitude and her ability to win recognition across party lines speak for her. Ilse Aigner is someone who can listen, but who is also listened to."
As President of the Bavarian State Parliament, Aigner showed that she could combine parliamentary responsibility with a clear stance regarding the rules of democracy. “We expect that she will carry out her office in a non-partisan, but not impartial, manner in the spirit of strengthening and renewing democracy and helping to bring our country closer together again.”
Time for a woman
At the same time, Aigner's election as Federal President would be a historic step, the authors emphasize. “77 years after the founding of the Federal Republic, it is time for a woman to assume the highest office in the state for the first time.” The office thrives on the ability to address different social forces without allowing themselves to be captured by party politics.
"Ilse Aigner's political home is the CSU. But we in the Green Alliance do not have to share all of her political positions in order to recognize her suitability for the highest state office." Especially in times of polarization and division, we want to set an example with Aigner's support. “For cohesion, mutual respect and the strengthening of the democratic center across party lines.”
