(de-news.net) – Ilse Aigner (CSU) is set to run for Germany’s Federal Presidency on behalf of the Union parties, possibly becoming the nation’s first female chief of state. Although the Greens, AfD, and Left Party have criticized the nomination process, her strong cross-party recognition and wealth of political experience boost her chances ahead of the January 2027 election.

Bavarian State Parliament President, Aigner is poised to become the joint candidate of Germany’s governing Union parties for the Federal Presidency, potentially making history as the first woman and the first representative of the CSU to occupy the country’s highest constitutional office. Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) is expected to formally announce his support for the 61-year-old politician following consultations within the CDU leadership.

The decision reportedly emerged after a joint dinner of the CDU executive committee on Sunday evening, when participants confirmed that Merz intended to nominate Aigner on Monday. Before appearing with the Chancellor at a news conference, she is scheduled to introduce herself to members of both the CDU executive committee and the party’s federal board. Her prospective candidacy would mark a significant milestone in the history of Germany’s presidency, which has so far been held exclusively by men and has never been occupied by a CSU politician.

Decades of experience across Germany’s political landscape

Aigner brings extensive experience from local, state and federal politics. Having begun her political career at the local level in Upper Bavaria, she subsequently served in the Bavarian Landtag and the Bundestag before becoming president of the Bavarian State Parliament. From 2008 to 2013, she was Federal Minister of Agriculture in Chancellor Angela Merkel’s CDU-led Government. She then returned to Bavaria at the invitation of then-Premier Horst Seehofer (CSU), serving as State Economy Minister and, for a brief period, as Minister for Housing, construction and transport. Within the CSU, she has led the Upper Bavaria district organization, the party’s largest regional association, for 15 years.

Her professional background also extends beyond politics. Born in the Upper Bavarian district of Rosenheim, Aigner continues to live in her hometown, where she was made an honorary citizen in 2024. Her parents operated an electrical contracting business in the community, and she worked there as a state-certified electrical engineering technician between 1985 and 1988. In the early 1990s, she subsequently developed systems electronics for helicopters, before establishing herself in public life.

Presidential election scheduled for January 2027

The 18th Federal Convention, Germany’s constitutional body responsible for electing the Federal President, is scheduled to convene at the Reichstag building in Berlin on January 30, 2027. The second five-year term of incumbent President Frank-Walter Steinmeier expires on March 18, 2027. Under the German Constitution, he is not eligible for a third term.

Candidates for the presidency are generally put forward by parliamentary groups supporting the governing coalition, although the election itself is conducted by the Federal Convention. The body consists of two equally sized groups: members of the Bundestag and delegates appointed by the state parliaments. While its final composition has yet to be established, the governing parties are expected to command a majority sufficient to elect Aigner. She could also receive support from the Greens, potentially broadening the political backing for her candidacy beyond the governing coalition.

Aigner reflects on eight years as Bavarian Parliament President

As reports emerged that the CDU and CSU intended to put her forward for the Federal Presidency, Aigner published an Instagram statement looking back on her eight years as President of the Bavarian State Parliament. She thanked the lawmakers who had entrusted her with the position and described her tenure as a period of important encounters, political challenges, intensive debates and consequential decisions. Among the more difficult experiences, she recalled receiving the news of Hubert Aiwanger’s death.

Aigner also outlined the principles that had guided her work, emphasizing her intention to represent all parliamentary members while remaining politically neutral and taking an unequivocal position on the protection of democracy and the constitutional order. Her retrospective concluded with an expression of readiness to continue contributing to public life and political responsibilities. However, she did not clarify whether this referred to a prospective move to the federal presidency or another future role.

The timing of the statement attracted attention because it appeared shortly after the Union parties’ reported decision to support her candidacy. Although Aigner did not explicitly address the Presidential nomination, her remarks left open the possibility of a transition from Bavarian state politics to the federal level.

Merz and Aigner have longstanding political ties

Aigner’s prospective nomination is also underpinned by a longstanding personal relationship with Merz. The two have known each other since 1998 and, according to sources close to the Chancellor, have maintained a close personal friendship for approximately 25 years. Merz owns a vacation home in Aigner’s constituency near Lake Tegernsee, where they reportedly meet regularly and share a circle of friends.

The Chancellor is said to have consulted Aigner about Steinmeier’s succession at an early stage, although he refrained from publicly endorsing her until the latest discussions within the CDU leadership. Their longstanding relationship therefore provides an additional dimension to the political process behind her prospective nomination.

Aigner also has an established political history with CSU leader and Bavarian Premier Markus Söder. She has previously characterized their relationship as a partnership shaped by shared political circumstances. Both entered the Bavarian Landtag in 1994, worked together on the Junge Union’s state executive committee and subsequently served in Seehofer’s Cabinet. Their political paths diverged in 2018, when Aigner lost the contest to succeed Seehofer as Bavarian Minister-President to Söder.

Cross-Party recognition strengthens Aigner’s prospects

One of Aigner’s principal political assets is her reputation beyond the CSU and the conservative camp. Vice Chancellor and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil of the SPD has praised her ability to bring different groups together, describing this quality as particularly valuable for Germany at a time of political and social challenges. He has also highlighted her approachable manner and ability to communicate with citizens on equal terms.

Similar assessments have come from Annette Widmann-Mauz, former Minister of State at the Federal Chancellery and honorary chairwoman of the CDU’s Women’s Union. She has characterized Aigner as a politician who maintains close connections with ordinary people and enjoys considerable respect and popularity well beyond Bavaria and the CSU. Widmann-Mauz also emphasized her political competence, intelligence and extensive experience at different levels of Government, describing her as a measured figure with strong character, personal stature and a consistent commitment to her values.

Junge Union endorses Aigner’s Presidential bid

Johannes Winkel, chairman of the CDU-affiliated Junge Union, has likewise endorsed Aigner as an excellent candidate for the presidency. He pointed to the positive reactions from other political parties, particularly the SPD and the Greens, arguing that her broad acceptance made her a strong choice for a joint Union nomination. Such recognition could prove important in an election where support extending beyond the governing parties may further strengthen a candidate’s standing.

Winkel also used the discussion to address a separate issue facing the coalition: implementation of the agreed pension reform. He called for the Government to translate its existing commitments into policy without changing the substance of the agreement. According to Winkel, Merz, Labor Minister Bärbel Bas, and Klingbeil – along with the coalition committee and the parliamentary groups – had already reached agreement during the summer and reaffirmed it toward the end of the season.

For the Junge Union chairman, honoring political commitments is closely connected to restoring public confidence in Government. He argued that the coalition had an important opportunity to demonstrate its capacity to act and respond to the interests of younger generations. Failure to implement agreements already announced, he suggested, would risk undermining confidence in the political system and its ability to deliver on its promises.

Greens Welcome Aigner but question selection process

Green Party co-leader Franziska Brantner has welcomed the prospect of Aigner becoming Germany’s next federal president while expressing strong reservations about the way the CDU and CSU handled the candidate-selection process. She argued that, more than 75 years after the founding of the Federal Republic, the country was overdue for its first female head of state. Brantner praised Aigner’s conduct in previous political offices, particularly her empathetic and constructive approach, and expressed hope that she would use the presidency to build bridges across political and social divisions. At a time of increasing polarization, Germany needed a president capable of engaging with citizens through openness and empathy, while defending democratic principles, encouraging important public debates and providing clear moral leadership, she said.

Her support for Aigner, however, did not extend to the political process that produced the nomination. Brantner described the search as deeply unsatisfactory, criticizing Merz for failing to take charge of the debate and allowing the candidate-selection process to unfold without clear leadership. She argued that the resulting political maneuvering did not reflect the importance or dignity of the presidency. Her criticism was reported by newspapers belonging to the Funke Media Group.

The Greens’ position therefore combines support for the prospective candidate with criticism of the governing parties’ handling of the nomination. Aigner’s cross-party reputation may help secure broader backing for the highest constitutional office.

AfD and Left Party challenge procedure

The Alternative for Germany (AfD) and the Left Party have both criticized the planned nomination, questioning whether Aigner is the appropriate person to represent the country as federal president. Their objections, however, focus on different aspects of the candidacy and the political process behind it.

AfD co-leader Alice Weidel said her parliamentary group did not consider Aigner a suitable choice for the office. In her assessment, the Federal Presidency requires a personality capable of standing above political parties and ideological camps, commanding public respect and bringing the country together. Weidel argued that Aigner had repeatedly failed to demonstrate the necessary political neutrality during her tenure as President of the Bavarian State Parliament, maintaining a party-political orientation rather than fully assuming the role of an impartial parliamentary representative.

Left Party co-leader Ines Schwerdtner, meanwhile, criticized the governing parties for restricting the search for a presidential candidate to their own political ranks. She said she would have preferred the CDU/CSU and SPD to consider candidates from outside their established political circles and seek someone with a stronger capacity to unite the country.