Former Green Party politicians say former Chancellor Angela Merkel could be a suitable candidate for the German presidency. “A former chancellor with such global experience is fit for the head‑of‑state position” former federal environment minister Jürgen Trittin told “Der Spiegel”. He added that, of course, the public must respect Merkel’s own decision not to seek the office. The Green Parliamentary Group’s leadership has denied any plans to put her forward for the 2027 election, and Merkel’s office recently called speculation about her candidacy “absurd”.
In addition, former agriculture minister Renate Künast echoes that Merkel would be an ideal president. “Miss Merkel would be clearly qualified” Künast said. “A president needs professional and life experience, charisma and a strong sense of the duties of the role”. She emphasized the importance of constitutional scrutiny, listening to and perceiving where the country stands, and sparking early discussions about the future of the nation and its people. Künast, now 70 and no longer a member of the Bundestag since last year’s election, acknowledges that Merkel has already served the country in her 16‑year tenure as chancellor and should be allowed to say no if she wishes.
Künast calls for the former chancellor to take an active role in identifying suitable candidates for the highest state office, arguing that Germany needs guidance in these difficult times from a “non‑partisan, politically experienced” person. “I trust Miss Merkel to bring a professional perspective and to enrich the discussions with promising ideas” she said.
Germany has yet to have a female president: all heads of state since 1949 have been male. Frank‑Walter Steinmeier’s term as president concludes in spring 2027.
