President of the Bavarian State Parliament backed for the German presidency / The nomination of the CSU politician could be confirmed on Monday

Ilse Aigner, president of the Bavarian state parliament and a member of the CSU, could become Germany’s first female president. Her nomination is expected to be confirmed on Monday at a meeting of the CDU leadership, the party of Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

If nominated, Aigner’s election on January 30 would be almost certain, with the decision to be made by approximately 1,260 members of the Federal Convention, mainly lawmakers from the Bundestag and Bundesrat, alongside representatives of civil society. She would succeed Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who has been in office since 2017.

The candidacy is supported by coalition partner the SPD, with several Social Democratic leaders describing her as a figure capable of overcoming political divisions. Chancellor Friedrich Merz has said he wants a woman and a centrist candidate for the predominantly ceremonial office.

Aged 61, Aigner is a former federal agriculture minister and has political experience at both the regional and federal levels. She is respected for the firm but polite way in which she has managed relations with AfD lawmakers, amid heightened polarization and the party’s growing popularity.