Original title: Germany is about to elect a new federal president Steinmeier is expected to be re-elected
On the 13th local time, Germany will elect a new federal president. Although the Alternative for Germany Party, the Liberal Democratic Party and the Free Voters in the opposition parties have launched their own candidates, public opinion generally believes that the current Federal President Steinmeier, who is the most vocal, will be re-elected.
In the autumn of 2016, Merkel, then the German Federal Chancellor, praised Steinmeier as a “political core figure”, and Merkel’s coalition party also decided not to nominate its own presidential candidate at that time, but to support the SPD candidate. Former Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs Steinmeier assumed the post of Federal President. In Merkel’s words: Supporting Steinmeier is a “stable signal” in turbulent times.
In February 2017, the German Bundestag formally elected Steinmeier to succeed Gauck as the German federal president. In his inaugural speech, Steinmeier said: “European freedom and democracy are the foundations that Germany must defend.” Shortly after taking office, he encountered a breakdown in the cabinet formation talks between the Coalition, the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party. Steinmeier played an important mediating role and actively facilitated the coalition negotiations between the Union Party and the Social Democrats, allowing Germany to avoid the establishment of a minority government or re-election.
At the same time, on the international stage, Steinmeier also made various contributions to Germany. He was the first German head of state to give a speech at the Holocaust Memorial. In January 2020, Steinmeier said in Israel that Germany needed to learn from history. He also emphasized that hatred should not be allowed to spread, and the remarks received positive responses.
In May 2021, Steinmeier officially announced that he would seek re-election. After the establishment of the new German federal government, the Social Democratic Party, the Green Party and the Liberal Democratic Party that participated in the ruling coalition have all publicly stated that they will support Steinmeier’s re-election, and the largest opposition party, the Alliance Party, has also expressed its continued support for him. Therefore, there is little doubt that Steinmeier will be re-elected in this Bundestag election. He himself said that he will continue to build bridges and contribute to the response to the epidemic and climate change. Steinmeier also stressed that the federal president does not decide the political direction.
The German president is a national symbol and has no real decision-making power in the political system. However, their signatures are required for treaties and laws to enter into force. And in times of crisis, the Federal President also assumes an important function. (Headquarters reporter Ruan Jiawen)