Presidential election: Steinmeier before a second term

Berlin Frank-Walter Steinmeier remains German President. The Federal Assembly confirmed the 66-year-old in office on Sunday with a large majority in the first ballot.

Steinmeier, who was nominated by the traffic light parties SPD, Greens and FDP and by the CDU/CSU opposition, received around 73 percent approval. He received 1045 out of 1425 valid votes and accepted the election immediately after the announcement of the result. Twelve votes were invalid.

Steinmeier is only the fifth Federal President to serve a second term.

Against Steinmeier, the doctor Gerhard Trabert (65) for the left and the economist Max Otte (57), who is a member of the CDU, for the AfD. In addition, the free voters had sent the physicist Stefanie Gebauer (41) into the race. However, all three have no chance given the majority situation.

In his inaugural speech, Steinmeier focused on the current crisis in relations with Russia. In clear words, he assigned Russian President Vladimir Putin the responsibility for the escalation in the Ukraine conflict. At the same time, the head of state invited the head of the Kremlin to be part of a European peace community. “I appeal to President Putin: Untie the noose around Ukraine’s neck and join us in finding a way that preserves peace in Europe,” Steinmeier said in Berlin on Sunday after his re-election.

The Russian president should not make the mistake of underestimating the power of democracy, he added. The same message has come from Washington, Paris and Berlin these days: “We want peaceful neighborhoods with mutual respect.”

Steinmeier emphasized that peace had to be worked out again and again, in dialogue, but where necessary also with clarity, deterrence and determination. Germany’s message to the NATO partners in Eastern Europe is: “You can rely on us.”

Bas: Strengthen social cohesion

Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD) opened the session for the election of the Federal President on Sunday afternoon in the Paul-Löbe-Haus. She called on citizens and politicians to be courageous and not to lose their nerve, even under the difficult conditions of the corona pandemic and other smoldering crises.

“Every era presents new challenges. There are risks associated with every step forward,” she said, and demanded: “Nevertheless, let us dare change and progress!”

Bas described the polarized mood in the country: “People who have different attitudes seem to be irreconcilable. The mood in the country, in families and circles of friends suffers as a result. There is no vaccine against that,” she said.

That is why courage, confidence and a respectful tone when dealing with those who think differently are now so important. “The majority is not automatically right – but neither is the minority,” she said. Everyone had to move and approach each other.

The electors are diverse

Bas called on the MPs among those present to listen to the citizens even more. Because that could only enrich the debate in parliamentary democracy.

Because of the corona pandemic, the delegates did not gather in the plenary hall of the Reichstag building this time for the election of the Federal President, but in the neighboring Paul-Löbe-Haus, where there is more space on five floors with numerous meeting rooms.

The Federal Assembly is the largest parliamentary body in Germany. Its only task is to elect the head of state every five years. It is made up of the members of the German Bundestag and an equal number of members who are delegated by the 16 state parliaments. Since the Bundestag currently has 736 members, the Federal Assembly consists of 1472 electors – more than ever before.

Ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel was also among the delegates who received great applause before the start of the election. The list also included celebrities such as national coach Hansi Flick, footballer Leon Goretzka or musician Roland Kaiser, but this year also scientists such as astronaut Alexander Gerst, virologist Christian Drosten and Biontech co-founder and vaccine developer Özlem Türeci.

From Chancellor’s Office to Head of State

Steinmeier headed the chancellery under Chancellor Gerhard Schröder (SPD) from 1999, before that he had been head of the state chancellery as prime minister in Hanover. He was foreign minister from 2005 to 2009 and again from 2013 to 2017. In the federal elections of 2009, he failed as SPD candidate for chancellor.

The Federal Assembly is the largest parliamentary body in Germany. Its only task is to elect the head of state every five years. It is made up of the members of the German Bundestag and an equal number of members who are delegated by the 16 state parliaments. Since the Bundestag currently has 736 members, the Federal Assembly consists of 1,472 electors – more than ever before.

SPD, Greens, FDP and CDU/CSU together make up 1223 of the 1472 members. The AfD has 151 and the left has 71 delegates. The Free Voters are represented by 18 electors, the South Schleswig Voters’ Association (SSW) by 2. There are also a few non-affiliated voters.

Because of the corona pandemic, this time the Federal Assembly will not meet in the plenary hall of the Reichstag building, but in the neighboring Paul-Löbe-Haus, where there is more space. There are numerous offices of MPs. There are also many meeting rooms, which are now also used for the Federal Assembly in order to be able to keep distances.

All delegates must provide proof of a negative corona test in order to be able to take part in the Federal Assembly. For this purpose, a test center was set up in front of the Reichstag building, in front of which a long queue formed at times on Saturday.