German President Wulff to resign

[Middle-aged Europe]

I think the SPD's chances are a bit overestimated here. On the third ballot, a SPD candidate would still need to win more votes than a CDU candidate.


Together, CDU/CSU and FDP have between 622 and 624 votes.

SPD and Greens have between 475 and 477 votes. Throw the Left in and you're at 600-602. Together with the Free Voters, the Pirates, and the SSW you'd reach 613-615.

Assuming that SPD, Greens, Left, Free Voters, Pirates, and SSW could agree on a single candidate for the third ballot, this candidate would still have to swing a couple of CDU/FDP votes.

It's correct that Joachim Gauck managed to swing more than just a couple of votes from the CDU.  But people are quick to forget that the members of the Left would rather cut off one of their hands than to vote for Gauck. If the SPD would run someone like Gauck, you'd instantly lose 125 votes again and you're back at 490, at best. That's not even close to a majority.

So the SPD would have to find a candidate who could get the (almost?) unanimous support of the Left as well as a significant number of CDU/FDP members. Can't think of anyone right now.

[Middle-aged Europe]

If Merkel were smart (and gave a sh!t about anything), she'd run Klaus Töpfer BTW. After all, Klaus Töpfer was one of the guest speakers at a Green federal congress this year.

And if SPD/Greens were even smarter than Merkel, they'd run with Töpfer. But this would probaly mean we'll be stuck with Schäuble as CDU candidate (and president) in the end.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Speculation has emerged whether Wullff will hold the presidential Christmas adress this year and if so, whether he'll mention the ongoing debate regarding his person.

"My dear citizens, many things have been reported these past days regarding my person. But let me assure you: I'm not crook."

[Middle-aged Europe]

New revelations in the Wulff affair:

Apparently, the president had personally called the editor-in-chief of the BILD newspaper and threatened him with criminal charges in order to prevent the story from getting published in the first place.

Great, now he has every journalist in the country against him. Is Wulff truly f**ked now?

[Middle-aged Europe]

Statement by the President's office: The president holds the freedom of press in high regard. And no comment on private phone calls made by him.

Statement by BILD: The reports regarding Wulffs's phone call are in fact true, but they chose not to report it themselves because the president had privately apologized for it a couple of days later.

[Middle-aged Europe]

My favorite quotes of the day...


Stefan Aust, former editor-in-chief of the SPIEGEL magazine: "Wulff is on a political suicide mission".

Erwin Lotter, FDP Bundestag member: "I'm ashamed that I have voted for him."

[Middle-aged Europe]

Today's presidential story is that Merkel's coalition is allegedly discussing potential successors in case Wulff resigns.

Top candidates are supposedly Klaus Töpfer (first environment minister, then housing minister under Helmut Kohl, later head of the UN Environmental Programme) and Norbert Lammert (current president of the Bundestag).

[Middle-aged Europe]

I find it hilarious that everyone is already busy with discussing potential successors, while Wulff himself still shows no intention of resigning.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Wulff needs to go. I don't think he'll resign...but he's a disgrace to this office.

At least he has recently supplied us with (already classic) lines like "presidents are entitled to human rights too!".

I wonder why Nixon never tried that defense.

[Middle-aged Europe]

We have finally reached the next level: In an effort to start a criminal investigation, the public prosecutor's office in Hannover has requested that the German Bundestag should lift Christian Wulff's immunity as president.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/prosecutors-urge-parliament-to-lift-immunity-of-german-president-amid-scandal/2012/02/16/gIQAp2X7HR_story.html

[Middle-aged Europe]

We have finally reached the next level: In an effort to start a criminal investigation, the public prosecutor's office in Hannover has requested that the German Bundestag should lift Christian Wulff's immunity as president.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/prosecutors-urge-parliament-to-lift-immunity-of-german-president-amid-scandal/2012/02/16/gIQAp2X7HR_story.html

I don't understand why the CDU and Merkel don't force this man to step down.

They could have at any given time. The disadvantages of doing it have just outweighed the advantages... so far.

In any case, it's probably time for some Lethal Weapon 2 parodies: Presidential immunity - REVOKED!

[Middle-aged Europe]

Wulff has just resigned, effective immediately.

Bavarian PM Horst Seehofer (CSU) becomes acting president.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Two protestants from former East Germany as president and chancellor?

This is the final defeat of the West German establishment.

[Middle-aged Europe]

Angela Merkel is from West Germany.

But only for a few weeks.