politics5 days ago
Merz Nominates Ilse Aigner as Germany's First Female President Amid Rising Polarization
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has nominated Ilse Aigner, the speaker of the Bavarian state parliament, to become Germany’s first female president. Aigner, a member of the Christian Social Union (CSU) and former agriculture minister under Angela Merkel, is set to succeed Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who is ending his second term in March 2027. The nomination, announced on November 9, 2026, follows a period of strained relations between the CDU and CSU over the candidate selection. Aigner is expected to be elected by the Federal Convention on January 30, 2027, with broad support from the governing coalition and opposition Greens, positioning her as a unifying figure against far-right extremism.
