Ilse Aigner set to become Germany's first woman president

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has decided to nominate Bavarian politician Ilse Aigner for the post of the country's next president. If the nomination is confirmed, the 61-year-old Aigner will become the first woman president in the country's history.

Merz made the announcement at a dinner with leaders of his own party, the centre-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU), on Sunday (8 November). The information was reported by Al Jazeera.

Ilse Aigner is currently the speaker of the Bavarian state parliament. She is a member of the Christian Social Union (CSU), the CDU's sister party.

Her nomination is due to be approved at a meeting of the CDU and CSU on Monday. If she wins support there, her chances of being elected president will become much stronger.

Under German political convention, the parties in the governing coalition usually agree on a single candidate for president. The current government is made up of the CDU, the CSU and the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

The SPD has already expressed support for Aigner. With the backing of all three parties, her path to election would be largely clear.

In Germany, the president is elected by a special body called the Federal Convention. A vote to choose the successor to current President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is due on 30 January.

Steinmeier, who took office in 2017, has served two terms. Under constitutional rules, his term ends in March 2027.

Although the German president's duties are largely ceremonial, the post carries weight in state and political life. The president signs laws into force and formally appoints ministers.

The president also acts as a symbol of national unity, standing above party politics.

Earlier this year, the CSU had proposed Aigner's name for the presidency. But Merz delayed supporting her then, saying alternative candidates were being considered.

That created some tension between the two coalition partners. Sunday's announcement is seen as bringing that tension to an end.

Aigner began her political career in local politics. In 1998, she was elected a member of Germany's federal parliament.

She also served as agriculture minister in former chancellor Angela Merkel's government. She later returned to Bavaria and was elected speaker of the state parliament in 2018.