Merz reportedly to propose a woman to succeed Steinmeier as German president

Merz's reported pledge

Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who leads the strongest party in the Bundestag, reportedly told a closed session with local representatives of the CDU that he will propose a woman to succeed Frank-Walter Steinmeier as head of state. The account comes from German media, including Der Spiegel, BILD and n-tv, which reported the closed meeting rather than a public statement. According to the same reports, Merz wants a common candidate from the political centre and says the person must be a woman. He aims to secure the broadest possible majority in the Federal Assembly. The proposal is expected to be submitted in the week of 9 November 2026.

Steinmeier's successor

Steinmeier's second and final term ends on 18 March 2027, and he cannot stand for a third consecutive term. The new head of state will be elected by the Federal Assembly, which is convened solely for that purpose, on 30 January 2027. The presidency in Germany is largely ceremonial. The timeline below lists the dates reported so far.

Competing names

Figures from the CSU and the SPD had recently spoken in favour of a possible candidacy by Ilse Aigner, president of the Bavarian state parliament and a CSU member. Sources close to the chancellor, however, say he will choose a person from his own party. According to Der Spiegel, Merz also intends to seek consultation not only with his government partners but with the Greens as well.

Merkel's intervention

Former chancellor Angela Merkel, who governed for 16 years and left office in 2021, told MagentaTV in an interview that 77 years of the Federal Republic have produced no female president. She said everyone should ask whether the time has come for one, and that she knows women who could take the post, though she declined to name any. Merkel urged the CDU to return to its core, arguing that the essence of the party is not only economic policy but building bridges across all parts of society. She backed her former party's refusal to work with the AfD and cited a serious antisemitism problem in the Berlin branch of Die Linke. She also called it absolutely unacceptable under current conditions that Die Linke wants no relationship with NATO.