Could the name of the next German president be Ines Claus? The discussions around Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s successor, whose term ends next year, have reached the German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on his trip across the Indo Pacific.
Steinmeier will have spent two terms in office when he retires next year. And while the president’s role is largely a ceremonial one in Germany, the process of picking a suitable candidate is a highly political affair, happening largely behind closed doors, unlike in many other countries.
That process is now in full swing. There’s largely bipartisan agreement that the next president should be a woman, which would be a first for the country. Chancellor Merz was one of those early on saying he was in favour of a woman taking the job, but had otherwise stayed out of the discussion so far.
That has now changed. The strong positioning by the Bavarian conservatives from the CSU in favor of Ilse Aigner, a former state agriculture minister, taking the job, seems to have pushed its bigger sister party, the CDU, to find a candidate from their own ranks.
Ines Claus, a lawyer and legal expert, was named by some within the CDU during Merz’s Asia trip. It’s unusual for the chancellor to comment on party political discussions while travelling, but his team has now stressed that they are awaiting “an orderly process.” In other words, choosing Steinmeier’s successor is far from a done deal.
The CDU is reportedly preparing to discuss who they should put forward at their next board meeting on November 9. They will also take into account the wishes of the CSU, the Social Democrats (SPD), and even the Greens, wanting the future head of state to have broad public support.