German chancellor Merz officially endorses Ilse Aigner for Federal President
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has officially endorsed Ilse Aigner as the conservative candidate for Federal President ahead of the election on 30 January.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has officially endorsed Ilse Aigner as the conservative alliance's candidate for Federal President ahead of the vote scheduled for 30 January.
Following a CDU executive meeting, Merz praised the 61-year-old CSU politician, currently president of the Bavarian state parliament, as a candidate of "dignity and heart." Accepting the nomination, Aigner promised a centrist approach, stating, "My language will be clear and understandable." If elected by the Federal Assembly, she would become Germany's first female head of state and the first representative from the CSU to hold the office.
While Aigner's candidacy has drawn broad approval across the conservative bloc, domestic media reports highlighted lingering friction within the CDU over Merz's handling of the selection process.
Sources: DW, FAZ, Handelsblatt, Der Spiegel, Tagesschau.
How outlets assessed this
- Der Spiegel Critical Emphasized party irritation regarding Chancellor Merz's closed-door decision-making process.
- Nov 9, 2026, 03:30 PM UTC
- Der Spiegel Critical Highlighted internal party irritation over Chancellor Merz's handling of the decision-making process.
- Tagesschau Supportive Emphasised Merz's endorsement of Aigner as a candidate with dignity and heart who represents political centrism.
Sources
- Der Spiegel — Ilse Aigner: Im CDU-Präsidium dürfte Kanzler Friedrich Merz ihre Nominierung als Bundespräsidentin verkünden
- FAZ — Deutschland Liveblog: Friedrich Merz schlägt Ilse Aigner als Bundespräsidentin vor
- DW — Nach zwölf Männern: Die CSU-Politikerin Aigner ist nun Favoritin als erste deutsche Bundespräsidentin
- Handelsblatt — Bundespräsidentin: Als Letzter sagte auch Bundeskanzler Merz „Ja“ zu Ilse Aigner
- Tagesschau — Aigner soll Bundespräsidentin werden: "Meine Sprache wird klar sein und verständlich"
Earlier coverage
- Nov 9, 2026, 09:30 AM UTCGerman Chancellor Merz officially nominates Ilse Aigner for presidency
- Nov 9, 2026, 04:30 AM UTCFriedrich Merz proposes Ilse Aigner to become Germany's first female president