For the first time in Germany's history, a woman could become president of the country

Thus, Aigner could become the first woman to hold the office of President of Germany, currently occupied by Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Merz proposed Aigner's candidacy on Monday during a meeting of conservative party leaders. The proposal was met with prolonged applause. Following this, the leadership of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), headed by Merz, officially nominated Aigner as a candidate for the presidency, DPA reported, citing informed sources. According to DPA, her candidacy is also supported by Merz's coalition partners — the Social Democrats (SPD). The Green Party has also stated that it views this decision positively. Currently, Aigner serves as the President of the Bavarian Landtag. She represents the Christian Social Union (CSU) — the Bavarian sister party of the CDU. Unlike many of her male colleagues, Aigner is not considered a politician who seeks power at any cost and is respected in other parties as well. By education, she is a qualified specialist in electrical engineering. From 2008 to 2013, Aigner served as the Federal Minister of Agriculture of Germany. She then worked as the Minister of Economy and later as the Minister of Construction in the Bavarian government before heading the parliament of this federal state. Merz and Aigner have known each other since 1998. According to sources close to the Chancellor, they have maintained a close friendship for the past 25 years. Merz had long refrained from revealing the name of a potential presidential candidate. However, last Monday he stated that it would be good if a woman occupied this position, without naming a specific politician. Reports indicate that in recent days, there has been agreement within the CDU regarding Aigner's candidacy. The President of Germany is elected by a special Federal Assembly, consisting of members of the Bundestag and representatives of the federal states. On January 30, it is set to elect the next head of state, who will succeed Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The President of Germany primarily performs representative and ceremonial functions but holds significant moral authority. Since World War II, all 12 presidents of Germany have been men. If Aigner is elected on January 30, her term will begin on March 19. Recently, a number of influential figures in German politics and public life, including former Chancellor Angela Merkel, have expressed support for a woman to hold the presidency of Germany for the first time. The right-wing euroskeptic party Alternative for Germany (AfD) intends to nominate its own candidate — a man. The Left Party (Die Linke) has not yet decided whether it will propose its own candidate.