Bundespräsidentenwahl: Alle CDU-Ministerpräsidenten aus dem Osten für Aigner

In the debate surrounding the successor to Bundespräsident Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the CDU is now turning to Ilse Aigner, the Bavarian Landtagspräsidentin, as the Union's candidate. All three eastern CDU Ministerpräsidenten - Jan Redmann from Brandenburg and Mario Voigt from Thuringia - have endorsed Aigner as the Union's candidate.

Even Jan Redmann, the Vice-Ministerpräsident and Landeshauptmann of Brandenburg, expresses his wish for Aigner to become the Union's candidate. Tobias Vogt, the Landtagsfraktionschef, along with Klaus Holetschek from the CSU, also supports Aigner. Vogt states that Aigner possesses the qualities needed to be the Bundespräsident, noting her ability to unite people.

He believes she ticks all the boxes for the role. Michael Kretschmer, the Ministerpräsident of Saxony, shares this sentiment, expressing his hope that Aigner becomes the Union's candidate. Saxon Ministerpräsident Sven Schulze echoes the same sentiment, stating that Aigner would make a very good candidate for the Bundespräsidialamt.

Redmann had previously endorsed Aigner, and now the only remaining support needed from the eastern CDU is from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, currently overseen by Philipp Amthor, a state minister for federal-state relations in the Chancellor's office. With the eastern Ministerpräsidenten now firmly in place, the debate on the Steinmeier successor is gaining momentum, bringing the decision on the P-issue closer.

Federal Chancellor and CDU leader Friedrich Merz had previously voiced his support for a woman as the next Bundespräsident, but has not yet named a name. The SPD and Greens have also shown sympathy for Aigner. Now, it is up to the CDU to make a decision, with the Ministerpräsidenten and other CDU land leaders playing a crucial role.

Half of the voters in the Federal Assembly, who will decide on the Steinmeier successor on January 30th, come from the federal states. CDU, CSU, and SPD are expected to have a 50-vote majority. Merz had told CDU district leaders that he wanted to propose a "common candidate" to the party, someone with a political middle ground. He expressed the need for a personality who can unite the country, emphasizing that this role should not be a subject of partisan tactics.

Voigt also believes Aigner can bring people together and has worked hard to reach this point. Redmann is convinced of Aigner's ability to bring people together in the country's current needs. The CSU has never elected a Bundespräsident in its 77-year history, with all twelve presidents being men. There have also been no CDU Presidents from the CSU.

Six Bundespräsidenten from the CDU include Julia Klöckner, Karin Prien, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, Ursula von der Leyen, and Ines Claus, who is independent. From the CDU, potential candidates like Klöckner, Prien, Kramp-Karrenbauer, and von der Leyen have been discussed. The CSU brought Aigner into the debate in April, and at their party congress in Munich, they firmly backed her.

The SPD and Greens have also expressed support for Aigner. The crucial decision now lies with the CDU, and the Ministerpräsidenten and other CDU land leaders will play a decisive role in making this choice.