Bundespräsidentin: Erste Frau im Amt – Ilse Aigner soll Bundespräsidentin werden

Ilse Aigner, a 61-year-old female, is being considered as the potential President of Germany. The news was reportedly received by the Handelsblatt from party circles on Sunday. According to the report, CDU leader Friedrich Merz is expected to propose Aigner to the members of the CDU Presidium during a dinner on Sunday evening. The proposal is set to be made public by Merz and Aigner together on Monday, following the meetings of the Presidium and the Executive Board.

Merz's backing for the nomination comes after CSU leader Markus Söder brought Aigner into the mix in April, with Aigner's term ending in March of the following year. Sources close to Merz claim they met in Merz's vacation home in Tegernsee in the summer to discuss the possible nomination. Despite this, Merz reportedly did not make a firm decision at the time.

However, Aigner's name has been mentioned repeatedly in recent weeks, with support coming from politicians of the SPD, including its leader Lars Klingbeil, as well as the Ministers-President Anke Rehlinger of Saarland and Manuela Schwesig of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The Greens, such as Baden-Württemberg's Minister-President Cem Özdemir, have also expressed their approval.

Aigner herself expressed her excitement about the opportunity to contribute after announcing her candidacy on Instagram. She reflected on her eight years as Landtag President and thanked the MPs for their trust. She has consistently maintained an impartial stance but with a clear position when it comes to protecting our democracy and upholding the dignity of our constitution.

She is also prepared to face the challenges ahead, stating, "There is still much to be done, and I am looking forward to my contribution!" CDU Chief Wolfram Weimer praised Aigner's decision, describing her as a cheerful, balancing person suited for a nation facing great turmoil. Weimer, a close friend of Chancellor, is known for inviting Aigner to the Ludwig-Erhard-Gipfel, which she has attended multiple times.

Aigner's political career began in the Jungen Union in Bavaria, and she served in the Landtag and Bundestag. She was the Federal Government's Minister for Agriculture and Consumer Protection under Angela Merkel, and later Minister-President of Bavaria. If elected, Aigner would be the first woman to hold the highest office in the German state, as well as the first representative of the CSU.