It is almost two years to the day since the Federal President paid an unusual visit to the Greens. The party celebrated its 40th birthday in a Berlin industrial hall – and Frank-Walter Steinmeier came to congratulate. The Greens had “done a lot to make this country more diverse and modern,” said the Federal President, for which he wanted to say thank you. Now Steinmeier can thank the Greens again – because on Tuesday they cleared the way for his re-election. But the Greens are not making Germany more diverse and modern. Ironically, the highest office in the state has never been entrusted to a woman – and it will stay that way now.
Steinmeier also praised the Greens two years ago for having learned to compromise in their history. And that is exactly what they have done now. In this case, for the sake of peace in the coalition, they forego what they would otherwise like to demand. At Steinmeier, nobody thinks of more feminine, more colorful and younger.
The SPD is 15 percent – and he declares his candidacy
But the Greens have to be credited with the fact that after the SPD and FDP had decided on Steinmeier, there was no longer a realistic chance of an applicant. The CDU, CSU and the Greens together do not have a majority in the Federal Assembly, so all speculations about a Green-Black candidate were arithmetically a dream. Because no one would have wanted to rely on the left – it will probably present its own candidate. And the AfD should by no means have the opportunity to tip the scales.
The fact that the Federal President will be re-elected is primarily due to himself. In his long political life, Steinmeier had to live with a number of accusations – that he unexpectedly took risks was not one of them. It is all the more astonishing that he announced in May of last year that he would compete again. At that time, the SPD was around 15 percent in the polls – and far behind the Union and the Greens. A majority in the Federal Assembly for him seemed a long way off. Steinmeier risked failing to run for re-election as the incumbent Federal President.
The Union is now experiencing what opposition feels like
After the SPD’s success in the federal election, Steinmeier was already in the middle of the field – the Social Democrats would not have had the chance to send someone else into the race without losing face. If the verb for the highest office in the state were not inappropriate, one could write: Steinmeier successfully got a second term in office.
And the union parties? They must now experience painfully how hard life is in the opposition. For 16 years they sat at the table in all decisions. Now they are only spectators when the Federal President is selected. The CDU and CSU can only decide whether to vote for Steinmeier, abstain or put up a hopeless candidate for counting. Presumably they will vote for Steinmeier. To at least hide the faint a little.
And so Steinmeier, who declared his candidacy in an almost hopeless situation, will in all probability be able to look forward to a particularly large majority in the Federal Assembly.