94-583: Frank-Walter Steinmeier ( German: [ˈfʁaŋkˌvaltɐ ˈʃtaɪnˌmaɪ.ɐ] ; born 5 January 1956) is a German politician who has served as President of Germany since 2017. He was previously federal minister for foreign affairs from 2005 to 2009 and again from 2013 to 2017, as well as vice chancellor of Germany from 2007 to 2009. Steinmeier was chairman-in-office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 2016. Steinmeier
188-529: A Cairo court sentenced 683 individuals to death for inciting violence during protests in summer 2013, following the military overthrow of elected President Mohammed Morsi . Following the 2016 Turkish coup d'état attempt , he warned that any move by Turkey to reinstate the death penalty would derail its efforts to join the European Union. He criticized the 2016–present purges in Turkey . In response to
282-575: A Greek withdrawal from the eurozone , calling for a serious search for a solution. Reacting to a growth of euro-skeptic political parties across Europe by early 2014, Steinmeier offered the United Kingdom limited support on renegotiating the Treaties of the European Union , saying Germany wanted to see Britain's influence in the "midst" of the EU, not on "the sidelines". After Britain's vote to leave
376-473: A parliamentary system of government in which the chancellor (similar to a prime minister or minister-president in other parliamentary democracies) is the head of government. The president has a ceremonial role as figurehead , but also has the right and duty to act politically. They can give direction to general political and societal debates and have some important " reserve powers " in case of political instability (such as those provided for by Article 81 of
470-521: A President, you can form a government." (endorsing parties) (percentage) (endorsing parties) (percentage) ( FDP , CDU , CSU ) The office of president is open to all Germans who are entitled to vote in Bundestag elections and have reached the age of 40, but no one may serve more than two consecutive five-year terms. As yet (2022), only five presidents (Heuss, Lübke, von Weizsäcker, Köhler and Steinmeier (in office)) have been elected for
564-550: A bill is not technically a final veto. As of 2023, this has happened only nine times and no president has done it more often than two times during their term: Karl Carstens , Roman Herzog , Johannes Rau , Christian Wulff , and Joachim Gauck have signed and promulgated all bills during their respective terms. The president represents Germany in the world (Art. 59 Basic Law), undertakes foreign visits, and receives foreign dignitaries. They also conclude treaties with foreign nations (which do not come into effect until affirmed by
658-567: A breakup of the single currency. In both February and November 2012, his parliamentary group voted largely in favour of the Merkel government's proposal for eurozone bailout packages for Greece , while criticizing the measures as being "not an enduring solution for the Greeks". In July 2014, he helped build the opposition's support for a euro zone rescue package for Spanish banks. Later, as foreign minister, he publicly advised against "frivolous" talk of
752-459: A chancellor and ministers to remain in office after the end of a chancellor's term until a successor is elected; or exercises his right to pardon on behalf of the federation - as these are exclusive powers of the president. Therefore, the president also receives the chancellor regularly for talks on current policy issues. German presidents also hold talks with individual federal ministers and other senior officials at their own discretion. The "Head of
846-791: A coalition with Russia and France against the U.S.-led war against Iraq . Meanwhile, he approved the decision to install a German intelligence officer in the Qatar-based office of General Tommy Franks , the American commander of the U.S. invasion in Iraq, who passed on to the United States information being gathered in Baghdad by two German intelligence officers operating there. In 2004, Steinmeier participated in diplomatic negotiations settling on compensation payments with Libya for victims of
940-592: A exceptional role model on international cooperation that Putinite Russia will unavoidably get "like us" by merely "intertwining of interests" ( Verflechtung ), and also that "a pan-European peace order and a lasting solution to important security problems (…) can only be achieved with Russia, not without it or even against it". Steinmeier helped to admit Putin's Russia into the WTO , which occurred in 2011. On 18 December 2007, Steinmeier and Dmitry Medvedev signed an agreement on behalf of BASF to exploit another gas field. At
1034-670: A greater mediation role for the OSCE , including the convening of local "round table" talks in Ukraine to defuse conflicts. The Steinmeier formula , as it is known to readers of Russian media, is synonymous with the Minsk II agreement. Between 2015 and 2016, Steinmeier hosted a series of Normandy format meetings in Berlin to negotiate a solution of the situation in the East of Ukraine . During
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#17327726015261128-519: A kidney to his wife in August 2010, Steinmeier returned to his office in October 2010. During his time as leader of the parliamentary opposition, Steinmeier regularly accused Angela Merkel's government of increasing the national debt and pandering to the rich. In 2011, Steinmeier argued that Merkel's decision to appoint her economics adviser, Jens Weidmann , to be the next head of Bundesbank undermined
1222-476: A person is elected with a majority on this ballot, the President is once again obliged to appoint them. If there is no majority, the President has seven days to either appoint the person who received a plurality of votes on the final ballot or dissolve the Bundestag. The chancellor may only be removed if the Bundestag passes a constructive vote of no confidence , indicating that a prospective new chancellor has
1316-610: A planned US missile defense complex in Poland would upset the strategic balance in Europe – and who then left without challenge Russian General Nikolai Solovtsov's threat of retaliation against Poland and the Czech Republic if they deployed U.S. defensive systems. Russian opposition activists later celebrated when Steinmeier and the SDP lost the 2009 election, signaling their discontent with Steinmeier. Oleg Petrovich Orlov , head of
1410-586: A preemptive strike against Russia or China and that the planned missile defense would be valuable primarily in an offensive context as an adjunct to a US first-strike capability. The article elicited a semi-official Russian response from ex-PM Yegor Gaidar in the Financial Times a few days later. In 2007, the US government reportedly was reportedly deeply irritated, although publicly silent, about Steinmeier, who had sounded supportive of Russian accusations that
1504-527: A president is re-elected for a second consecutive term, he does not take the oath again. The president is involved in the formation of the Federal Government and remains in close cooperation with it. Basically, the president is free to act on his own discretion. However, according to Article 58 of the German constitution, the decrees, and directives of the president require the countersignature of
1598-593: A president's term. The body is convened and chaired by the President of the Bundestag . From 1979 to 2009, all these conventions were held on 23 May, the anniversary of the foundation of the Federal Republic in 1949. The resignation of Horst Köhler in 2010, which necessitated an early meeting of the Federal Convention, brought this tradition to an end. In the first two rounds of the election,
1692-508: A proposed federal minister, as no president has ever done so. The constitution places no restrictions on who may be chancellor. In practice, the president only proposes a person as chancellor who has previously garnered a majority support in prior coalition talks and traditionally does not interfere in those talks. However, after the " Jamaica coalition " talks failed in the wake of the 2017 election , President Steinmeier invited several Bundestag party leaders to try to bring them together to form
1786-417: A range of foreign policy issues, from confronting Iran over its nuclear program to negotiating binding goals to combat climate change . In one significant foreign-policy disagreement, Steinmeier held in 2009 that Germany should by 2013 lay the groundwork for withdrawing its troops from Afghanistan, a deployment that around two-thirds of Germans opposed by then. Unlike Merkel, he also favored Turkish entry into
1880-467: A second term and only two of them (Heuss and von Weizsäcker) completed those terms, while Lübke and Köhler resigned during their second term. The president must not be a member of the federal government or of a legislature at either the federal or state level. After taking office the president must take the following oath, stipulated by Article 56 of the Basic Law, in a joint session of the Bundestag and
1974-545: A subordinate role". In Steinmeier's opinion, the "[r]ejection of capital punishment is one of the keystones of German human-rights policy. The death penalty goes against our fundamental ethic and moral principles". He personally called for the abolition of the death penalty in Uzbekistan ; capital punishment in Uzbekistan has been abolished since 2008. In April 2014, he summoned the Egyptian ambassador Mohamed Higazy after
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#17327726015262068-467: A whole category of offenses. That requires a law enacted by the Bundestag in conjunction with the Bundesrat. Due to the federal structure of Germany the federal president is only responsible for dealing with certain criminal matters (e.g. espionage and terrorism) and disciplinary proceedings against federal civil servants, federal judges, and soldiers". It is customary that the federal president becomes
2162-478: A working government. The president appoints federal judges, federal civil servants, and military officers. Unlike the head of state in Westminster system parliamentary democracies, the President does not have the reserve power to unilaterally dissolve the Bundestag. The Bundestag also does not have the power to dissolve itself. Dissolution by the President can only occur in two scenarios caused by action of
2256-413: A year or more. According to article 81 of the German constitution, the president can declare a "Legislation Emergency" and allow the federal government and the Bundesrat to enact laws without the approval of the Bundestag. They also have important decisive power regarding the appointment of a chancellor who was elected by plurality only, or the dissolution of the Bundestag under certain circumstances. It
2350-484: Is a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), holds a doctorate in law and was formerly a career civil servant. He was a close aide of Gerhard Schröder when Schröder was minister-president of Lower Saxony during most of the 1990s, and served as Schröder's chief of staff from 1996. When Schröder became Chancellor of Germany in 1998, Steinmeier was appointed Under-Secretary of State in
2444-417: Is also theoretically possible, albeit a drastic step which has not happened since 1949, that the president refuses to sign legislation merely because they disagree with its content, thus vetoing it, or refuse to approve a cabinet appointment. In all cases in which a bill was not signed by the federal president, all presidents have claimed that the bill in question was manifestly unconstitutional. For example, in
2538-564: Is elected for a term of five years by secret ballot, without debate, by a specially convened Federal Convention which mirrors the aggregated majority position in the Bundestag (the federal parliament) and in the parliaments of the 16 German states . The convention consists of all Bundestag members, as well as an equal number of electors elected by the state legislatures in proportion to their respective populations. Since reunification, all Federal Conventions have had more than 1200 members, as
2632-648: The 1986 terrorist bombing of the LaBelle disco in Berlin. A major controversy during Steinmeier's term as chief of staff was the imprisonment of a German-born Turk, Murat Kurnaz , in Guantánamo Bay from 2002 until August 2006. Steinmeier denied during a parliamentary inquiry in March 2007 that he had blocked Kurnaz's release. Instead, he claimed that Berlin had feared Kurnaz was a threat and should go to Turkey, not Germany, if released. Only after Merkel's election
2726-648: The Bundesrat (it is the only event that demands such a joint session constitutionally). The religious references may optionally be omitted. I swear that I will dedicate my efforts to the well-being of the German people, promote their welfare, protect them from harm, uphold and defend the Basic Law and the laws of the Federation, perform my duties conscientiously and do justice to all. (So help me God.) German constitutional law does not consider oaths of office as constitutive but only as affirmative . This means that
2820-521: The CDU/CSU , and thus became the presumptive electee, as the coalition held a large majority in the Federal Convention . He left the cabinet on 27 January 2017. He was elected president by the Federal Convention on 12 February 2017 with 74% of the vote. On 13 February 2022, he was re-elected by the Federal Convention for a second and final term with 78% of the vote. Steinmeier belongs to
2914-510: The European Parliament , Steinmeier stated that "[t]here is a certain trend toward [media] hysterics and one needs to get a sense of reason back into the debate". Dr Frank Umbach had warned as early as February 2006 that Germany had become too dependent of Russia but Steinmeier, citing the new Ostpolitik , disregarded him. In March 2007 Steinmeier published a long article in reply to Umbach explaining his rationale on EU being such
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3008-463: The European Union . Also, Steinmeier became known for his rather Russia-friendly stance, arguing strenuously for engagement with the increasingly assertive power to the east, rather than its isolation. He formulated a policy toward Russia deliberately reminiscent of " Ostpolitik ", the eastward-facing policy pioneered by Chancellor Willy Brandt in the early 1970s. Together with Gernot Erler,
3102-494: The Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundespräsident der Bundesrepublik Deutschland ), is the head of state of Germany . The current officeholder is Frank-Walter Steinmeier who was elected on 12 February 2017 and re-elected on 13 February 2022. He is currently serving his second five-year-term, which began on 19 March 2022. Under the 1949 constitution (Basic Law) Germany has
3196-546: The German Chancellery with the responsibility for the intelligence services . From 1999 to 2005 he served as Chief of Staff of the Chancellery . Following the 2005 federal election , Steinmeier became foreign minister in the first grand coalition government of Angela Merkel , and from 2007 he additionally held the office of vice chancellor. In 2008, he briefly served as acting chairman of his party. He
3290-525: The Memorial human rights group , said that Steinmeier had prolonged Schröder's policies on Russia and that Germany's policies were "extremely bad for civil society, democracy and the country as a whole". In February 2009, Steinmeier became the first member of Merkel's cabinet to be received by the incoming Obama administration . During his time in office, Steinmeier managed to extract German hostages from Iraq and Yemen. In 2007, he also succeeded in securing
3384-416: The Minsk II talks on a ceasefire for eastern Ukraine in early 2015, he successfully negotiated with Russian President Vladimir Putin on allowing German doctors to visit Ukrainian military pilot Nadiya Savchenko , who had been on hunger strike for more than two months in a Russian jail. Steinmeier has repeatedly ruled out arms shipments to resolve the conflict, and that was German policy until two days after
3478-626: The flight and expulsion of Germans after World War II . Following his Abitur , Steinmeier did his military service from 1974 to 1976, then studied law and political science at the Justus Liebig University Giessen , where Brigitte Zypries was a fellow student. In 1982 he passed his first and in 1986 his second state examination in law. Steinmeier worked as a scientific assistant to the professor of public law and political science at Giessen University until he obtained his doctorate of law in 1991. His dissertation explored
3572-416: The head of government of one of the sixteen German states , elected by the Bundesrat in a predetermined order of annual alternation) as deputy of the president of Germany (Basic Law, Article 57). If the office of president falls vacant, they assume the powers of the president on an acting basis until a successor is elected. While doing so, they do not continue to exercise the role of chair of the Bundesrat. If
3666-611: The protests following the 2009 Iranian presidential election against the disputed victory of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad , Steinmeier condemned what he called "brutal actions" against demonstrators in Tehran and summoned the Iranian ambassador Alireza Sheikhattar to explain. After Germany had only narrowly managed to avoid a deficit warning from the European Commission in 2002, Schröder and Steinmeier became
3760-420: The 24 February 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine , at which time Chancellor Olaf Scholz ended it. In 2015, Steinmeier hosted a meeting of the delegations from Libya's two rival governments, who were battling for control of the country, and United Nations Special Representative Bernardino León to discuss a UN-sponsored peace and power-sharing proposal despite splits among some of the parties. Steinmeier later
3854-587: The Basic Law). The president also holds the prerogative to grant pardons on behalf of the federation. The German presidents, who can be elected to two consecutive five-year terms, have wide discretion about how they exercise their official duties. Under Article 59 (1) of the Basic Law (German Constitution), the president represents the Federal Republic of Germany in matters of international law, concludes treaties with foreign states on its behalf and accredits diplomats. Furthermore, all federal laws must be signed by
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3948-415: The Bundesrat, also acted as head of state for a few days: after the Basic Law had come into effect and he himself was elected as President of the Bundesrat, the first President of Germany was not yet elected and the office therefore vacant. None of these three presidents of the Bundesrat acting as President, has used any of the more important powers of the president, as for example vetoing a law or dissolving
4042-410: The Bundestag has always had more than 600 parliamentarians since then. It is not required that state electors are chosen from the members of the state legislature; often some prominent citizens are chosen. The German constitution, the Basic Law, requires that the convention be convened no later than 30 days before the scheduled expiry of the sitting president's term or 30 days after a premature expiry of
4136-666: The Bundestag or the Bundesrat impeaches the president, the Federal Constitutional Court is charged with determining if they are guilty of the offence. If the charge is sustained, the court has the authority to remove the president from office. The official residence of the president is Bellevue Palace in Berlin. The president's second official residence is the Hammerschmidt Villa in Bonn, the former capital city of West Germany . Although these are
4230-464: The Bundestag refuses to approve the draft, the cabinet can ask the federal president to declare a "legislative state of emergency" ( Gesetzgebungsnotstand ) with regard to that specific law proposal. After the declaration of the president, the Bundestag has four weeks to discuss the draft law. If it does not approve it the cabinet can ask the Federal Council for approval. After the consent of
4324-539: The Bundestag), accredit German diplomats, and receive the letters of accreditation of foreign diplomats. According to Article 60 (2) of the German Constitution, the president has the power to pardon. This means the president "has the authority to revoke or commute penal or disciplinary sentences in individual cases. The federal president cannot, however, issue an amnesty waiving or commuting sentences for
4418-414: The Bundestag, although they would have been entitled to do so under the same conditions as the president. While in office, the president enjoys immunity from prosecution and cannot be voted out of office or recalled. The only mechanism for removing the president is impeachment by the Bundestag or Bundesrat for willfully violating German law. In either of the two bodies a two-thirds majority is required. Once
4512-619: The Bundestag: The first scenario has never happened. The second has been used to call snap elections in 1972 , 1983 , and 2005 , in all three cases with the incumbent chancellor asking his own party to vote down the confidence motion and obtaining a dissolution. Though the use of this strategy is controversial and the latter two cases resulted in complaints to the Federal Constitutional Court , it has been upheld as lawful. All federal laws must be signed by
4606-503: The EU in 2016, he argued that the union lacked the cohesion to undertake major new integration steps and should instead focus on migration, high youth unemployment and security. At the same time, Steinmeier worked to develop new formats and revive new ones. In December 2014, he met with the foreign ministers from the three Nordic countries Denmark , Finland and Sweden – Margot Wallström , Erkki Tuomioja and Martin Lidegaard – for
4700-455: The European Union in the first half of 2007. Following Franz Müntefering 's departure from the cabinet on 21 November 2007, Steinmeier also filled the position of Vice-Chancellor . During his time in office, Steinmeier was widely regarded as having good working relations with Angela Merkel but often taking a different stance on foreign affairs. By and large, he allowed Merkel to set the pace in foreign policy., working harmoniously with her on
4794-490: The Federal Council is secured, the draft law becomes law. There are some constraints on the "legislative state of emergency". After a president has declared the state of emergency for the first time, the government has only six months to use the procedure for other law proposals. Given the terms provided by the constitution, it is unlikely that the government can enact more than one other draft law in this way. Also,
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#17327726015264888-562: The Office of the President" represents the will and views of the president in the meetings of the Federal Cabinet and reports back to the president. The president's most prominent powers and duties include: After an election or other vacancy in the chancellor's office, the president must propose an individual to the Bundestag to be elected chancellor. The Bundestag is required to vote on this proposed candidate. If this vote fails,
4982-465: The SPD's decisive defeat in the elections – the party's worst performance since World War II by then – Steinmeier, who had been elected to represent Brandenburg an der Havel – Potsdam-Mittelmark I – Havelland III – Teltow-Fläming I , was elected Peter Struck 's successor as chairman of the SPD's parliamentary group in the Bundestag , and as such leader of the opposition. After a hospitalization for donating
5076-417: The SPD's leading Russia expert and the deputy foreign minister, Steinmeier initiated Germany's so-called Partnership for Modernization with Russia (announced in 2008), which became an official EU policy in 2010. Pressed by lawmakers to say more on his attitude toward Russia in the wake of the high-profile murders of opposition figures Anna Politkovskaya and Alexander Litvinenko at a January 2007 hearing at
5170-399: The autumn of 2006, President Horst Köhler did so twice within three months. Also, in some cases, a president has signed a law while asking that the political parties refer the case to the Federal Constitutional Court in order to test the law's constitutionality. The Basic Law did not create an office of Vice President, but designated the President of the Bundesrat (by constitutional custom
5264-427: The candidate who achieves an absolute majority is elected. If, after two votes, no single candidate has received this level of support, in the third and final vote the candidate who wins a plurality of votes cast is elected. The result of the election is often determined by party politics. In most cases, the candidate of the majority party or coalition in the Bundestag is considered to be the likely winner. However, as
5358-439: The chancellor or the corresponding federal minister in charge of the respective field of politics. This rule ensures the coherence of government action, similar to the system of checks and balances in the United States. There is no need for a countersignature if the president proposes, appoints, or dismisses the chancellor; convenes or dissolves the Bundestag according to Article 63; declares a legislative state of emergency; calls on
5452-608: The driving forces behind weakening the Stability and Growth Pact , a rule-based framework for the coordination of national fiscal policies originally intended as the guarantor of a stable euro. In a joint article in the Financial Times on 14 December 2010, Steinmeier and Peer Steinbrück proposed to solve the European debt crisis with "a combination of a haircut for debt holders, debt guarantees for stable countries and
5546-404: The emergency has to be declared afresh for every proposal. This means that the six months are not a period in which the government together with the president and the Federal Council simply replaces the Bundestag as lawgiver. The Bundestag remains fully competent to pass laws during these six months. The state of emergency also ends if the office of the chancellor ends. During the same term and after
5640-429: The end, Wulff obtained a majority in the third ballot. If the opposition has turned in a strong showing in state elections, it can potentially have enough support to defeat the chancellor's party's candidate; this happened in the elections in 1979 and 2004. For this reason, presidential elections can indicate the result of an upcoming general election. According to a long-standing adage in German politics, "if you can create
5734-445: The executive (government) with the power to "enable decrees in a state of emergency" ( exekutives Notverordnungsrecht ), but for historical reasons the constitution avoided this expression. Though candidates are usually selected by a political party or parties, the president nonetheless is traditionally expected to refrain from being an active member of any party after assuming office. Every president to date, except Joachim Gauck (who
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#17327726015265828-486: The honorary godparent of the seventh child in a family if the parents wish it. They also send letters of congratulations to centenarians and long-time married couples. Article 81 makes it possible to enact a law without the approval of the Bundestag: if the Bundestag rejects a motion of confidence, but a new chancellor is not elected nor is the Bundestag dissolved, the chancellor can declare a draft law to be "urgent". If
5922-423: The incumbent president had serious doubts about the constitutionality of a bill laid before them, they have refused to sign it. It also has to be stated that the president may at their own discretion sign such a "vetoed" bill at any later time, if for example the Basic Law has been changed in the relevant aspect or if the bill in question has been amended according to his concerns, because their initial refusal to sign
6016-549: The law and the constitution. It is a matter of political tradition – not legal restrictions – that the president generally does not comment routinely on issues in the news, particularly when there is some controversy among the political parties. This distance from day-to-day politics and daily governmental issues allows the president to be a source of clarification, to influence public debate, voice criticism, offer suggestions, and make proposals. In order to exercise this power, they traditionally act above party politics. The president
6110-589: The limited introduction of European-wide bonds in the medium term, accompanied by more aligned fiscal policies". In February 2011, Steinmeier proposed Steinbrück as a candidate to lead the European Central Bank. Under Steinmeier's parliamentary leadership, the Social Democrats raised pressure on Chancellor Angela Merkel to agree to more burden-sharing to stem the euro zone crisis , repeatedly calling on her to assume greater risks to avert
6204-423: The members of the Federal Convention vote by secret ballot and are free to vote against their party's candidate, some presidential elections were considered open or too close to call beforehand because of relatively balanced majority positions or because the governing coalition's parties could not agree on one candidate and endorsed different people, as they did in 1969, when Gustav Heinemann won by only six votes on
6298-493: The ministry or abroad. Over the course of 2014, Steinmeier alternated with Merkel as Germany's most popular politician in polls of eligible voters. In light of criticism from the United States, Steinmeier stood firm on Germany's approach in the Russo-Ukrainian War , where it was balancing support for European economic sanctions on Russia with leaving the door open to a revived partnership. In May 2014, he proposed
6392-602: The new grand coalition government, Steinmeier was appointed foreign minister for a second time in December 2013. He replaced Guido Westerwelle , who had signed the P5+1 accord with Iran in November 2013. His deputies are Michael Roth (SPD) and Maria Böhmer (CDU). Upon taking office, Steinmeier initiated an ambitious review of Germany's foreign policy, holding meetings nationwide and drawing in more than 12,000 people who work at
6486-407: The political independence and public trust in the German central bank. In late 2012, Steinmeier was once again considered a possible candidate to challenge Chancellor Angela Merkel in the 2013 general election, but soon withdrew from the contest. As a consequence, SPD chairman Sigmar Gabriel later announced that the leadership agreed to nominate Peer Steinbrück . After the elections of 2013 and
6580-496: The president before they can come into effect. The president may refuse to sign the law, thus effectively vetoing it. In principle, the president has the full veto authority on any bill, but this, however, is not how past presidents handled their power. Usually, the president checks if the law was passed according to the order mandated by the Constitution and/or if the content of the law is constitutional. Only in cases in which
6674-400: The president before they can come into effect; presidents may veto a law if they believe it to violate the constitution. The president's actions and public appearances represent the state itself, its existence, legitimacy, and unity. The president enjoys a higher ranking at official functions than the chancellor. The president's role is integrative and includes the control function of upholding
6768-578: The president dies in office, resigns, or is otherwise removed from office, a successor is to be elected within thirty days. Horst Köhler, upon his resignation on 31 May 2010, became the first president to trigger this re-election process. Jens Böhrnsen , President of the Senate and Mayor of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen and at the time President of the Bundesrat, became Acting President. Similarly, when Christian Wulff resigned in 2012, it
6862-440: The president does not have to take the oath at the moment of entering office in order to be able to exercise its constitutional powers. In practice, the oath is usually administered during the first days or weeks of a president's term on a date convenient for a joint session of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. Nevertheless, in theory a persistent refusal to take the oath is considered to be an impeachable offence by legal scholars. If
6956-494: The president is temporarily unable to perform their duties (this happens frequently, for example if the president is abroad on a state visit), he can at his own discretion delegate his powers or parts of them to the president of the Bundesrat. For example, in early November 2022, then President of the Bundesrat Peter Tschentscher deputised President Steinmeier when the latter was on a trip to Asia. If
7050-591: The release of a German citizen who was imprisoned in Iran for illegally entering the country's waters on a fishing expedition. Steinmeier served as acting chairman of the SPD from 7 September 2008 to 18 October 2008. Domestically, throughout his term he was the only major politician with approval ratings consistently as high as or higher than Merkel's. This was helped by the especially high ratings foreign ministers generally receive in Germany. On 7 September 2008, following
7144-474: The resignation of SPD chairman Kurt Beck , Steinmeier was chosen as the SPD candidate for chancellor for the 2009 federal elections and also designated as acting SPD Chairman, pending the return of Müntefering to that position. In his election campaign, he argued for new tax rules to deter high executive pay and bonuses, and for minimum wages to slow the growing gap between Germany's highest and lowest earners. He also focused on improving public healthcare. After
7238-428: The right of nomination falls to the Bundestag, which is then given 14 days to elect another person. In either case, the President is obliged to appoint the person if a majority of the entire elected Bundestag, not just those present, votes for them (the so-called Kanzlermehrheit , "Chancellor majority"). If the Bundestag cannot elect anyone with a majority in the 14-day period, it is required to hold one final ballot. If
7332-467: The right wing of the SPD, known as reformists and moderates. As chief of staff, he was a principal architect of Agenda 2010 , the Schröder government's reforms of the welfare state. His lenient policies toward countries such as Russia and China have earned him criticism both in Germany and internationally, and he has been criticized for prioritizing German business interests over human rights. Steinmeier
7426-472: The six months, the chancellor cannot use the procedure of Article 81 again. A "legislative state of emergency" has never been declared. In case of serious disagreement between the chancellor and the Bundestag, the chancellor resigns or the Bundestag faces new elections. The provision of Article 81 is intended to assist the government for a short time, but not to use it in crisis for a longer period. According to constitutional commentator Bryde, Article 81 provides
7520-598: The so-called "N3 + 1" format to discuss issues of common concern for the first time. In August 2016, he joined French foreign minister Jean-Marc Ayrault in pledging to "reinvigorate" the Weimar Triangle and published a document 'A strong Europe in a world of uncertainties'. Between 2014 and 2016, he visited the three Baltic states – Estonia , Latvia and Lithuania – six times, the highest number of visits by any German Foreign Minister. President of Germany The President of Germany , officially titled
7614-645: The state's role in preventing homelessness. Steinmeier is married and has one daughter. On 24 August 2010, he donated a kidney to his wife Elke Büdenbender . In 2015, Steinmeier served as best man at the wedding of Rüdiger Grube and Cornelia Poletto in Hamburg. Steinmeier enjoys jazz , and is an avid football fan. Steinmeier is a Reformed Protestant and an active member of the Reformed Bethlehem congregation in Berlin-Neukölln . He
7708-418: The support of a majority. The President is then required to dismiss the chancellor and appoint the new candidate. The president also appoints and dismisses the remaining members of the federal government upon proposal of the chancellor. This theoretically means that the president can appoint only those candidates presented by the chancellor. It is unclear whether the president could refuse to dismiss or appoint
7802-422: The third ballot. In other cases, elections have turned out to be much closer than expected. For example, in 2010, Wulff was expected to win on the first ballot, as the parties supporting him (CDU, CSU and FDP) had a stable absolute majority in the Federal Convention. Nevertheless, he failed to win a majority in the first and second ballots, while his main opponent Joachim Gauck had an unexpectedly strong showing. In
7896-474: The time, 40 per cent of German demand was satisfied by Russian supply. In May 2008, he became the first foreign official to hold talks with President Dmitri Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin after they took up their new positions following the 2008 Russian presidential election . In 2006, Foreign Affairs published an analysis of the state of US and Russian nuclear forces, concluding that post-Cold War US nuclear forces seemed designed to carry out
7990-447: Was Horst Seehofer , Minister-President of Bavaria , as President of the Bundesrat, who became Acting President. When Heinrich Lübke, on the other hand, announced his resignation in 1968, it only came into effect the following year, a mere three months before the scheduled end of his term and after the expedited election of his successor. Back in 1949, Karl Arnold , at the time Minister-President of North Rhine-Westphalia and President of
8084-509: Was Kurnaz released and brought back to Germany. On 22 November 2005, after the 2005 federal elections , Steinmeier became Minister of Foreign Affairs in the Grand coalition cabinet led by Angela Merkel . He was the first SPD Foreign Minister since Willy Brandt (1966–1969). Upon taking office, Steinmeier led the preparations for Germany taking over the rotating presidency of the Council of
8178-428: Was an independent ), has suspended their party membership for the duration of their term. Presidents have, however, spoken publicly about their personal views on political matters. The very fact that a president is expected to remain above politics usually means that when they do speak out on an issue, it is considered to be of great importance. In some cases, a presidential speech has dominated German political debate for
8272-484: Was appointed in November 1998 as Secretary of State, a junior Chancellery bureaucrat, and Commissioner for the Federal Intelligence Services at the office of the chancellor following Schröder's election victory . He replaced Bodo Hombach as the head of the office of the chancellor in 1999, after the later entered European Union politics. He held onto his Secretary of State rank and therefore
8366-734: Was baptized into his father's church (the Church of Lippe ) as a youth. Steinmeier became an adviser in 1991 for Law of Communication media and media guidelines in the State Chancellery of Lower Saxony in Hanover . In 1993, he became director of the Personal Office for the prime minister of Lower Saxony, Gerhard Schröder . In 1996, he became the Secretary of State and head of the State Chancellery of Lower Saxony. Steinmeier
8460-578: Was born in 1956 in Detmold . Although his full name is Frank-Walter, his friends call him Frank. His father, a carpenter, was affiliated with the Church of Lippe (one of Germany's few Calvinist regional church bodies , and a member church of the Protestant Church of Germany ). His mother, born in Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland ), came as a refugee from a Lutheran part of Silesia during
8554-735: Was instrumental in convening the International Syria Support Group (ISSG) and the Syria peace talks in Vienna in October 2015, drawing together Saudi Arabia ; its main regional rival, Iran ; as well as Russia, the United States and other Western powers and regional actors including Turkey and Iraq . In the past, Human Rights Watch has labeled Steinmeier as " Realpolitik advocate", for whom, "when it comes to defining his relationship with countries" such as Russia, China, Iran and Saudi Arabia , "human rights play only
8648-546: Was nicknamed Die Graue Effizienz ( lit. ' the grey efficiency ' ) – a pun on Graue Eminenz , the German for grey eminence . As Commissioner for the Federal Intelligence Services (a title often held by the Head of the Chancellery) Steinmeier was responsible for co-ordinating Germany's intelligence services. In 2003, he supported Schröder in his controversial decision to forge
8742-428: Was the SPD's candidate for chancellor in the 2009 federal election , but his party lost the election and he left the federal cabinet to become leader of the opposition. Following the 2013 federal election , he again became Minister for Foreign Affairs in Merkel's second grand coalition. In November 2016 he was announced as the candidate for President of Germany of the governing coalition, consisting of his own party and
8836-411: Was the only Head of the Chancellery to not be appointed Minister for Special Affairs, i. e. does not have cabinet rank, from 1984 to today. During this period Steinmeier was also one of the advisors to Schröder. He was crucial in securing a red-green majority in parliament for Schröder's contentious " Agenda 2010 " of economic reforms. Because of his effective management beyond the spotlight of politics, he
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