Germany: Head of state steps down

[Tender Branson]

The new Presidential election has been set for June 30 by Norbert Lammert (CDU), President of the Parliament. June 30 will be a game-less day in the South Africa Football World Championship and therefore he chose this date to assure full participation of the electoral college.

CDU/CSU/FDP will have at least 645 electoral votes out of 1244 on the day of the election.

Popular Minister of Labour and good friend of Angela Merkel, Ursula von der Leyen (CDU), is now the most likely candidate to succeed Köhler.



She´s also acceptable for SPD members because of her involvement to create more kindergarden spots when she was family minister in the previous grand coalition.

http://www.spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/0,1518,698110,00.html

[Tender Branson]

I think she´d be OK, but I really don´t like the fact that she censored Rammstein songs ...

[Tender Branson]

ARD reports that von der Leyen's chances are dwindling again. YAY! This means that the next one is probably even worse.

Still hoping for Lammert.

I´ve watched some TV in the morning and they mentioned Gov. Wulff from Niedersachsen.

But would he really step down as Gov. to become President ?

[Tender Branson]

Hopefully Angela Merkel doesn't become Fuhrer now.

Epic fail.

Yeah:

a) it's Führer (or if you can't find the ü on your keyboard, Fuehrer)
b) she's a woman, so it'd have to be Führerin.

Is she called a Bunderskanzlerin? Also, will we see a Präsidentin?

She`s either called Bundeskanzlerin, or just Kanzlerin.

No, we`ll see a Präsident Christian Wulff.

[Tender Branson]

Meanwhile, the SPD & Greens are rapidely gaining ground (average of recent 4 polls, June 1-4):

CDU/CSU: 31.8%
SPD: 27.8%
Greens: 15.8%
Left: 11.5%
FDP: 7.0%
Others: 6.1%

Government: 38.8%
Opposition: 55.1%

[Tender Branson]

First Emnid poll after the 2 candidates were announced:

Wulff (CDU): 41%
Gauck (SPD/Greens): 32%
Undecided: 27%

http://www.bild.de/BILD/politik/2010/06/06/joachim-gauck/hg/bei-schwarz-gelb-wachsen-zweifel-an-wulffs-merheit.html