{
  "id": 19011844,
  "title": "Kandidatur für Staatsspitze: Merz: Aigner soll Bundespräsidentin werden",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/08/kandidatur-fur-staatsspitze-merz-aigner-soll-bundesprasidentin-werden",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-08T19:36:11.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Handelsblatt",
    "slug": "handelsblatt",
    "url": "https://www.handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/kandidatur-fuer-staatsspitze-merz-aigner-soll-bundespraesidentin-werden/100268262.html"
  },
  "original_language": "de",
  "account": "Bayerische Landtagspräsidentin Ilse Aigner may become the first female and first CSU politician to hold the office of German Federal President, according to CDU Chairman Friedrich Merz. The decision will be made by the Bundesversammlung on January 30th, following the resignation of current President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Aigner has been supported by Union and SPD parties, which hold a 50-vote majority in the Bundesversammlung. Merz aims to position Aigner as a \"candidate of the center\" to distance herself from the political extremes, including the AfD and the left-wing parties. The AfD plans to nominate a man from \"the middle of society\" but sees her as an unlikely candidate due to the overwhelming majority in favor of Aigner. Aigner, who has been friends with Merz for 25 years, is not considered a traditional power politician, but rather respected and valued across party lines. If elected, Aigner's term as Federal President will begin on March 19th.",
  "summary": "Dass Ilse Aigner Kandidatin der Union für die Bundespräsidentenwahl werden soll, galt bereits als ausgemachte Sache. Es fehlte aber noch das offizielle Ja des Kanzlers. Jetzt ist es da.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}