Germany could have a woman president for the first time!

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has announced that the ruling Christian Democratic Union (CDU) has nominated 61-year-old Ilse Aigner, President of the Bavarian State Parliament, as its candidate for the German presidency.

TodayPress TV, citing Der Spiegel, reports that her candidacy has already received the backing of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and Alliance 90/The Greens, both part of the governing coalition.

Germany’s presidential election is scheduled to take place on January 30, 2027. The head of state is elected by the Federal Convention, which convenes specifically for this purpose. It consists of all members of the Bundestag, as well as an equal number of delegates sent by the state parliaments of Germany’s 16 federal states.

According to German media reports, Aigner has already secured sufficient support. If elected, she would become the first woman to serve as president in the 78-year history of the Federal Republic of Germany, following 12 men who have held the office. She would also be the first representative of Bavaria’s Christian Social Union (CSU) to assume the presidency.

Dmitry Stratiyevsky, director of the Berlin Centre for Eastern European Studies, told The Insider that three factors had played a role in Aigner’s nomination.

According to the expert, the first is that Aigner enjoys support across broad sections of society, is not known for engaging in political intrigue and has a reputation as a unifying figure.

The second factor is that the need to elect a woman to the presidency has been actively discussed across various political groups in Germany.

The third factor concerns her professional background. Aigner is a trained engineer specialising in television equipment maintenance and has worked as an electrical technician. She does not have a university degree. The expert noted that although the vast majority of prominent politicians have university qualifications in fields such as law or political science, Aigner presents herself as a “candidate of the people”.

The expert added that although the presidency is considered a secondary position in German politics, the head of state has various means of influencing the country’s political life. Therefore, who holds the office is of considerable importance.