Merz backs a woman to succeed Steinmeier; CDU wants Merkel in the presidential vote

Merz commits to a woman candidate

Chancellor Friedrich Merz has settled one question about the next federal president: it will be a woman. Speaking on Monday evening, 2 November, at a meeting of CDU district chairpersons at the party headquarters in Berlin, he said, according to participants, that he would put forward a joint candidate from the political centre to the party. Earlier he had only said he had sympathy for a female candidate without fixing his position. Steinmeier's term ends in March, and the Federal Assembly is due to decide the succession on 30 January 2027. In the words participants reported, Merz said:

“I have committed myself on the point that it must be a woman.”

The path to a decision

Merz's circle has said he wants to speak first with the CDU state chairpersons, the minister-presidents and members of the CDU presidium, as well as the CSU, before the party presidium meets on 9 November. Only after that session are talks to widen to the coalition partner SPD, and then to the Greens. The stated goal is the broadest possible support for the candidate in the Federal Assembly. The CDU provides the largest share of delegates and holds the right to propose a candidate. CSU leader Markus Söder has proposed Bavarian state parliament president Ilse Aigner. Other names being discussed within the CDU are Education Minister Karin Prien, Bundestag president Julia Klöckner and former party leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer.

Merkel's seat in the Federal Assembly

Several outlets had reported beforehand that the CDU in Schleswig-Holstein wants to send former chancellor Angela Merkel to the Federal Assembly that will elect the next president. In 2022 Merkel had been put forward by Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and that neighbouring state has now taken over the nomination. The Schleswig-Holstein state parliament is expected to decide on its delegates in the week of 9 November. Tobias Koch, the CDU parliamentary group leader in Schleswig-Holstein, justified the choice in these words:

“After the CDU faction left the Schwerin state parliament, we as neighbours gladly and wholeheartedly took over the nomination of Ms Merkel.”

Merkel herself has argued for a woman in the top job. In a MagentaTV interview she said:

“There have been 77 years of history of the Federal Republic of Germany, and there has never been a woman as Federal President.”

Beyond Merkel, the CDU list in the state includes Education Minister Karin Prien, Minister-President Daniel Günther and former handball player Patrick Wiencek. The Greens have nominated Social Minister Aminata Touré, parliamentary group leader Lasse Petersdotter and the Kiel-based bestselling author Caroline Wahl. The SPD list includes state leader and lead candidate for the state election Ulf Kämpfer, journalist and author Dörte Hansen and DGB North chair Laura Pooth.

Open questions before January

The Länder are naming their delegates now, even though the CDU-SPD coalition in Berlin has not yet agreed on a candidate. Merz has not named anyone, and the names being discussed include both CDU and CSU politicians. The presidium session on 9 November is the next fixed point in the process. The Federal Assembly is scheduled to decide on 30 January 2027, which leaves the candidate search a few weeks after that session.