Germany’s next president is to be elected on January 30, 2027, dpa learnt on Thursday.
Incumbent Frank-Walter Steinmeier is due to step down from the largely ceremonial role in March 2027 after two five-year terms and cannot be re-elected.
The German president is elected by a federal convention, made up of lawmakers in the Bundestag, the lower house of parliament, and representatives from the country’s 16 federal states.
Parliamentary sources told dpa on Thursday that Bundestag President Julia Klöckner is set to convene the assembly on January 30, 2027, to determine Steinmeier’s successor.
The most important duties in the role include representing Germany abroad, formally dissolving the Bundestag, awarding honours, signing treaties and laws, and the power of pardon.
Parties across the political spectrum have called for a woman to fill the position for the first time, with all 12 presidents to have served since 1949 having been men.
Speculation emerged earlier this month that former chancellor Angela Merkel could be nominated to serve as the country’s first female president. However, a spokeswoman for Merkel quickly ruled out the idea.
Prominent names under consideration for the role include Education Minister Karin Prien and Ilse Aigner, the president of the Bavarian state parliament.
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