Thorsten Frei questions female president consensus, sparking backlash from CSU women and SPD

Frei's intervention

Thorsten Frei, who only last week was released as Frank-Walter Steinmeier's chief of staff to become CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader, told Welt-TV that while there were good reasons for a woman to become president, the decision should not be "apodiktisch" (apodictic). "Beides möglich sein" (both should be possible), he said, meaning a male candidate must also remain an option. Frei argued that in politically turbulent times the president might need to act as a "Stabilitätsanker" (stability anchor) for democracy, and that setting overly narrow guidelines now made no sense. Steinmeier, the twelfth federal president, cannot stand again after two terms; his successor will be elected on 30 January 2027.

Backlash from CSU women and SPD

The remarks drew sharp criticism. Ulrike Scharf, head of the CSU women's union and Bavarian social minister, told Bayerischer Rundfunk: "Deutschland ist reif für eine Bundespräsidentin" (Germany is ready for a female president). She said women could provide orientation and a clear compass just as well as men, and that a woman in the role would be a gain for the people and for politics. "Frauen stehen für eine wertebasierte, verantwortungsvolle, demokratische, nahe und emphatische Politik" (women stand for value-based, responsible, democratic, close and empathetic politics), she added. SPD deputy leader Alexander Schweitzer told Spiegel that broad consensus existed in the political centre for a female president and that he was "befremdet" (disturbed) that some in the Union were shaking it. "Die CDU droht, in Verhaltensmuster zurückzufallen, die die Gesellschaft längst überwunden hat" (the CDU threatens to fall back into behavioural patterns that society has long overcome), he said.

Aigner as frontrunner

Bavarian state parliament president Ilse Aigner (CSU) has been the most frequently named candidate. CSU leader Markus Söder reiterated in an ARD summer interview that Aigner would be a "sehr gute" (very good) president, adding: "Man hat sich ja festgelegt darauf, dass dieses Mal eine Frau Bundespräsident werden soll" (it has been agreed that this time a woman should become president). Chancellor Friedrich Merz called her "denkbar" (conceivable). On Tuesday, Sascha Binder, the SPD parliamentary group leader in Baden-Württemberg, endorsed Aigner, saying she had great political experience and could fill the office across party lines. "Es ist höchste Zeit, dass erstmals eine Frau an der Spitze unseres Staates steht" (it is high time that a woman stands at the head of our state for the first time), Binder said. Aigner herself has said the question does not arise for her at present. Other female names in circulation include Family Minister Karin Prien and Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, both CDU.

Boris Rhein enters the fray

Despite the apparent consensus around a female candidate, Bild reported at the weekend that Hesse's CDU minister-president Boris Rhein was being increasingly mentioned in government and party circles as a "heißer Favorit" (hot favourite) and was at the top of Merz's list. Rhein governs in a coalition with the SPD, which could prove useful if the Union needs SPD votes in the Federal Assembly. The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung noted that it seemed implausible Merz had changed his mind after repeatedly backing a woman, but the name was now in play. Merz himself said a week ago that the measure was who could speak to the challenging times. The Union claims the right to propose the candidate, and Merz has said he will discuss the matter with Söder and SPD leaders after the state elections in September.

What happens next

The Federal Assembly, comprising all 630 Bundestag members and an equal number of delegates from the states, will elect Steinmeier's successor on 30 January 2027. The outcome of state elections in Saxony-Anhalt, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania and Berlin in September could shift the assembly's composition. Merz and Söder plan to hold talks in October or November. For now, the debate over whether Germany will finally have a female head of state remains open.