FDP wants a second term in office for Frank-Walter Steinmeier as Federal President

FDP wants a second term in office for Frank-Walter Steinmeier as Federal President

Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will probably get a second term. The FDP top has now thrown its pound into the scales for him, the Greens as coalition partners of the SPD and Liberals can hardly say no.

On February 13, 2022, just before Valentine’s Day, the Federal Assembly elects the future Federal President. It is still unclear how many candidates will run, but Frank-Walter Steinmeier has the best chances. Because now the FDP leadership has spoken out in favor of a second term. “Mr. Steinmeier is an outstanding personality and, in times of social polarization, has made a contribution to the cohesion in our country,” said the FDP federal chairman Christian Lindner. “We see with sympathy and great respect that he is ready for the office a second time.”

In May Steinmeier’s application was still considered bold

Steinmeier submitted his application publicly in May and said: “I would like to accompany our country on its way into the future, a future after the pandemic, a future after Corona.” At the time, there was little to suggest that a traffic light government led by an SPD Chancellor Olaf Scholz could provide the new federal government. Steinmeier’s application seemed bold, but not very promising. When SPD woman Bärbel Bas became President of the Bundestag, the problem of a lack of gender equality in the top offices of the republic was also resolved.

If the Greens, as coalition partners of the SPD and FDP, were to prevent Steinmeier’s election at the Federal Assembly on February 13, there would be an abrupt end to the red-green-yellow harmony. How the Greens position themselves, whether they support Steinmeier or put up their own candidate, was initially unclear.

The chairman of the FDP parliamentary group, Christian Dürr, said that especially in times of crisis, a federal president should have a reconciling effect and integrate. “During the corona pandemic, Frank-Walter Steinmeier sought dialogue with the citizens. He ensured continuity, and I am sure that he will reliably guide the country through this crisis in his second term in office.”

Steinmeier’s renewed application met with great approval from the Social Democrats. The SPD chairmen Saskia Esken and Norbert Walter-Borjans declared at the time that they were delighted with the move. Steinmeier has proven in four years as Federal President that he fulfills the highest office in the state with great moral authority. “A second term would be a great opportunity.”

Traffic light coalition with majority

In the election in the Federal Assembly, the traffic light parties SPD, Greens and FDP have a majority. Lindner had signaled early on that the FDP would support Steinmeier. His deputy Wolfgang Kubicki even advocated a second term for Steinmeier in 2019. Reason: “He is doing his job excellently.”

Source From: Stern

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest Posts