The Gulf Time Newspaper One of the finest business newspapers in the UAE brought to you by our professional writers and editors.
Bloomberg
Frank-Walter Steinmeier was re-elected to a second five-year term in the mainly ceremonial post of German president.
Steinmeier, 66, won the backing of about two-thirds of the Federal Assembly, a body convened solely for the purpose comprising all lawmakers from the lower house and representatives from the German states. He was supported by Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party coalition as well as the conservative opposition, ensuring he easily defeated three nominees put forward by smaller parties in the vote.
While formally the head of state, and thus Germany’s highest-ranking official, the president has largely representative and ceremonial roles, although enjoys considerable authority. When coalition talks collapsed after the 2017 federal election, Steinmeier stepped in and convinced politicians to form a new government rather than head to a fresh vote.
A Social Democrat like Scholz, Steinmeier previously served two stints as foreign minister under Chancellor Angela Merkel and prior to that was chief of staff to Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder.
He unsuccessfully challenged Merkel for the chancellorship in 2009, prompting his party’s worst result since World War II at the time and a term in opposition, before he returned to the cabinet in 2013.
As president, Steinmeier has encouraged historical reconciliation and dialogue aimed at resolving political polarisation, including through hosting coronavirus vaccine opponents to try to overcome the divisions in society resulting from the pandemic.