German Chancellor Angela Merkel faces electoral test
June 30, 2010
Voting has begun for a new German president in what is being seen as a test of the popularity of Chancellor Angela Merkel’s government.
The role is largely ceremonial but the election may also become a verdict on her raft of austerity measures.
Her candidate, Christian Wulff, faces a strong challenge from former East German rights activist Joachim Gauck.
The president is chosen in an electoral college secret ballot. The result should be known on Wednesday afternoon.
A total of 1,244 elected representatives take part in the ballot. Half are federal legislators and half state-parliament nominees.
Eurozone crisis
The president has little power and the role is largely symbolic.
But the BBC’s Steve Rosenberg in Berlin says a win for Mr Gauck would be considered a major blow to Mrs Merkel.
Her candidate is Lower Saxony state governor Christian Wulff, deputy leader of her Christian Democratic party.
He remains the favourite to win as Mrs Merkel’s ruling coalition enjoys a majority in the electoral college.
But Mr Gauck is a strong challenger - a non-partisan human rights campaigner who did much to expose the crimes of the East German secret police, the Stasi.
Our correspondent says Mr Gauck is both popular and widely respected - with even some members of Chancellor Merkel’s own coalition saying they might vote for him.
CHRISTIAN WULFF, 51. Member of Mrs Merkel’s Christian Democrats. Also backed by FDP and CSU. Governor of Lower Saxony since 2003. Catholic and a lawyer by profession. Would become Germany’s youngest president
JOACHIM GAUCK, 70. Protestant pastor raised in East Germany. As director of the Stasi archives he exposed crimes of former communist police. Backed by SPD, Alliance 90 and Greens but portrays himself as non-partisan and said to be unhappy his election might harm Mrs Merkel
There are two minor party candidates, from the far left and far right.
There can be up to three ballots if the first does not give a candidate an absolute majority. A simple majority will suffice in the final ballot.
Analysts say the number of ballots it takes may in itself be seen as a comment on the popularity of Mrs Merkel’s coalition.
Since coming to power last October, the coalition has had to tackle the eurozone debt crisis.
This has led to rescue packages for European partners that have been deeply unpopular in Germany.
The presidential election was called after Horst Koehler stepped down on 31 May.
He was said to be uncomfortable over criticism of an interview he gave on the role of the German military.
Source: bbc.co.uk/
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