D: Union parties recommend re-election of Steinmeier

The CDU and CSU support German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier’s candidacy for a second term.

At a joint meeting today, the praesidia of the sister parties made a recommendation to the union representatives in the Federal Assembly on February 13 to elect Steinmeier for another five-year term, AFP learned from party circles. CDU and CSU want to forgo putting up their own candidate.

This means that former SPD politician Steinmeier can count on a large cross-party majority for re-election. The Traffic Light Coalition parties – the Social Democratic Party, the Green Party and the Free Democratic Party – had earlier announced their support for the incumbent. The coalition camp votes were enough to re-elect Steinmeier on the first ballot.

CDU and CSU had already supported the Social Democrats in the first elections in 2017. At that time, Steinmeier entered the race as a joint candidate for the grand coalition between the Union and the SPD. Prior to his election as Federal President, Steinmeier was, among other things, Federal Foreign Minister, SPD candidate for chancellor and leader of the SPD’s parliamentary group.

The AfD wants its own candidate

Meanwhile, the AfD has announced that it will most likely run again as its candidate. A party spokesman told AFP that there are corresponding considerations. No decision has yet been made as to who should run for Alternative for Germany membership.