Merkel in the Federal President’s election: extra appearance, wild shoe wishes

Angela Merkel is part of the Federal Assembly 2022. After her term of office as chancellor, she appears in public – and is the focus of a request.

• Angela Merkel is a member of the Federal Assembly 2022.
• A country manager is to fulfill a request on the sidelines of the event (see first report). Many have already spoken to the Chancellor (see update of February 13, 1:15 p.m.).
• Merkel also made a brief appearance during the opening speech (see update of February 13, 12:28 p.m.).
• This news ticker is continuously updated.

Update from February 13, 1:15 p.m.: Angela Merkel should not be bored at the Federal Assembly. You see her talking to different politicians over and over again. The talks will probably also deal with current problems. The Ukraine crisis is currently overshadowing many things. Merkel could have spoken to Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach about the corona pandemic. And Merkel has already spoken to the heads of the Union. One might think that many would be keen to have a conversation with the former chancellor. In any case, CDU leader Friedrich Merz announced directly on Twitter that he used this opportunity with his colleague Markus Söder.

Update from February 13, 12:40 p.m.: In the meantime, the members of the Federal Assembly are gradually going to the ballot boxes. Among them, Angela Merkel will also be mentioned. Until then, you can see her talking to various politicians on television. Among them is Prime Minister Daniel Günther (CDU) from Schleswig-Holstein, FDP leader Christian Lindner and there was also something to laugh about with Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock (Greens), as could be seen.

Update from February 13, 12:28 p.m.: Ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel was on TV before the start of the Federal Assembly on Sunday (see previous update). But when Bärbel Bas gave a speech, she was given a somewhat special appearance: “Ms. Merkel, I welcome you on behalf of everyone present in this Federal Assembly.” There was applause, Merkel stood up and waved to the crowd.

Update from February 13, 11:50 a.m.: Angela Merkel has arrived at the Paul Löbe House. Television pictures showed the former chancellor talking to other politicians shortly before the Federal Assembly with the election of the Federal President. Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier has also arrived.

Merkel in the federal presidential election: the head of state wants to get a personal piece from the ex-chancellor

First report from February 13: Berlin – There will be a reunion in the election of the Federal President this Sunday (February 13): Former Chancellor Angela Merkel will be back in the political public eye. Your name is on the list of members of the 17th Federal Convention. She was nominated by the CDU parliamentary group in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

Even if the re-election of Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier is considered certain and he is likely to be the focus of the day, many eyes will also be on the lookout for Merkel. Including that of Saxony-Anhalt’s Prime Minister Reiner Haseloff (CDU). Because he announced a small mission in advance: On the fringes of the Federal Assembly, he is following a special request.

Angela Merkel at the Federal Assembly: Haseloff wants to visit the former Chancellor for a special request

On behalf of the Weissenfels shoe museum, he wants to ask ex-Chancellor Merkel for a pair of her shoes for the collection. During her 16-year tenure, she refused to sell a couple. Now the museum has asked him in a letter for help. “I am very happy to fulfill the wish, with no guarantee that I will be successful,” said Haseloff of the German Press Agency.

The museum in Weißenfels in the south of Saxony-Anhalt shows historical shoes from antiquity to the present day. According to a spokeswoman, the collection also includes shoes by Helmut Kohl (1930-2017), who was Chancellor from 1982 to 1998.

(More political background and current news can be found in our political newsletter.)

Presidential election 2022: Federal Assembly meets – Steinmeier before re-election

Federal Assembly 2022 live with Merkel: Election of the Federal President in an unfamiliar environment

Merkel was apparently not present at a meeting in advance. Steinmeier visited the CDU/CSU parliamentary group before the big day and was probably received with a lot of applause. According to dpa information, the party leaders Friedrich Merz and Markus Söder took part in the meeting, but not Merkel. She has not been part of Parliament since the last federal election.

SPD, Greens, FDP and CDU/CSU together make up 1223 of the 1472 members. Even if not everyone votes for Steinmeier, he should be able to achieve an absolute majority of 737 votes in the first ballot. However, voting is done with concealed official ballot papers. Against Steinmeier, the Left is represented by the physician Gerhard Trabert, the AfD by the economist Max Otte, and the Free Voters by the physicist Stefanie Gebauer.

Because of the corona pandemic, Merkel will not appear in the plenary hall of the Reichstag building. Because the Federal Assembly meets in the neighboring Paul-Löbe-Haus, where many meeting rooms and offices of MPs are located. There the electors will be spread over five floors. Everyone must be able to show a negative corona test to participate. (cibo/dpa)