Grand coalition parties agree on Frank-Walter Steinmeier for the German presidency

The parties making up Germany's grand coalition government reached an agreement on 14 November 2016 on a choice of candidate to become the country's next president, according to media reports.

Following the insistence by the SPD and initial rejection by both the CDU and CSU, the social democrat Frank-Walter Steinmeier was poised to become the next German president without competition from a conservative candidate.

The Federal Assembly was due to elect the next president in February 2017.

• Primary Source

Politico, 14.11.16: Merkel’s conservatives pave way for Steinmeier presidency http://www.politico.eu/article/german-chancellor-angela-merkels-conservatives-pave-way-for-frank-walter-steinmeier-presidency-cdu-spd/

EurActiv, 14.11.16: CDU and CSU back Steinmeier for president http://www.euractiv.com/section/elections/news/cdu-and-csu-back-steinmeier-for-president/

The Local.de, 14.11.16: Merkel party backs Steinmeier for president: report http://www.thelocal.de/20161114/merkels-bloc-close-to-backing-presidential-candidate

Politico, 16.11.16: Germany’s Steinmeier: Brexit, Trump and Turkey are a wake-up call http://www.politico.eu/article/germanys-steinmeier-brexit-trump-and-turkey-are-a-wake-up-call/

Politico, 17.11.16: The curse of the German presidency http://www.politico.eu/article/the-curse-of-the-german-presidency-merkel-steinmeier/

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