Now that Horst Koehler has unexpectedly resigned the *Bundesversammlung *(which consists of the *Bundestag *members and an equal number of Land delegates) has 30 days to elect a new one. My understanding is that even the the Bundespräsident is purely ceremonial head of state and supposed to be apolitical Chancellor Merkel will still try to get someone from the Christian Democrats elected; any idea as to who that might be? How does the CDU losing the election in North Rhine-
Westphalia effect that?
Not quite. I just ranted to my friend yesterday evening about how the media are incorrectly reporting this as “Merkel choosing the next President” when it correctly means:
all parties in the Bundestag - the Union (CDU/CSU), the FDP, the SPD, the Greens, the Lefts - can suggest candidates. Theoretically, the Grundgesetz (Constitution) says that the members of parliament have to follow their conscience only, and can not be forced to follow party lines.
In practical terms, whoever the Union suggests- which means Merkel since she is head of her party, and the Union runs stronly authoritarian - will most likely be voted because of the majority in the Bundesversammlung.
The suggestions are not yet in, they are just starting. I heard tentativly von der Leyen, the female minister for Family etc. being suggested, and Westerwelle opened his mouth yesterday evening about suggesting somebody for the FDP seperatly, but I haven’t seen extensive news today yet. (I hope it will be somebody good, unlike Köhler or von der Leyen, but the chances are not good for that).
Merkel said yesterday that this time around, she wants a politican who’s used to backstabbing and critiscm*, but there is no requirement for that. They could also suggest and elect Thomas Gottschalk (entertainer) or Kaiser Franz Beckenbauer (former soccer player).
The president has on purpose little power, but is still important.
*Köhler was a banker (which I thought a bad move), which I think means he should’ve also been used to back-stabbing and criticism. Nobody outside the inner circle knows the real reason for his desertion of his post - a colleague of mine suggested that he had his back to the wall without support and was a bad boss.
Well, the bigger effect of the NRW election is that they still haven’t gotten around to actually forming a government - maybe they will call for new elections. Which means that the seats for NRW in the Bundesrat are not working at the moment.
However, individual MPs have been selected in NRW by the voters, and are thus in the pool of members of state parliaments from which the Bundesversammlung is chosen.