Wulff might have been able to survive the accusations of impropriety - but after a criminal investigation and a petition to remove his immunity was announced last night - he had no choice. He had to go.
What happens now?
Horst Seehofer, president of the Bundesrat (the upper house of Germany's parliament) will take over the reigns of office on an interim basis. Within 30 days, a new president will be elected in secret and without debate by a combination of all members of the Bundestag and an equal number of representatives selected by the state parliaments - an organisation called Bundesversammlung. Any member of this group can propose a candidate, and if an individual candidate does not get more than 50%, new votes will be held until one does. The whole process takes an evening.
Due to the combination of the current makeup of the Bundestag and state parliaments the governing parties, Merkel's CDU and the classical liberal FDP, have a razor thin majority. Even though there is no requirement for a politician to hold the post, because politicians (or representatives of politicians) themselves elect the president and almost always vote along party lines, every president so far has come from a party political background. It will become a test of Merkel's authority.
Due to the razor thin majority - Merkel could find herself embarrassed, unless she talks to the opposition and suggests a compromise candidate acceptable to the SPD or the Greens.
UPDATE 1034 GMT: Merkel has announced that she will do just that.
Exciting times. Well, exciting insofar an election to a purely ceremonial position can be.
No comments:
Post a Comment