Union also supports Steinmeier's second term in office

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Frank-Walter Steinmeier

Photo: MICHELE TANTUSSI / REUTERS

After the SPD, the Greens and the FDP, the Union also supports a second term in office for Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

The presidia of the CDU and CSU decided on a corresponding recommendation, as the news agencies dpa and AFP learned from participants in a joint video conference.

Until recently, the CDU and CSU had considered sending an opposing candidate to Steinmeier into the race.

Unlike the partners in the Ampelkoalition, the party had so far left it open as to whether it would support Steinmeier's re-election and initially indicated that it would prefer a woman in the highest office of the state.

With the vote for Steinmeier, a second term of office for the head of state, who will be 66 years old this Wednesday, is almost certain: The Social Democrats welcome a renewed candidacy of the SPD politician Steinmeier anyway, the FDP has also already spoken out for him, most recently the Greens on Tuesday.

The SPD, Greens and FDP will together send 776 of the 1,472 members to the Federal Assembly.

That is 39 more than are needed in the first and second ballots.

The Federal Assembly will consist of the 736 members of the Bundestag and an equal number of people who send the 16 state parliaments.

446 of the 1472 members will be the CDU and CSU, 389 the SPD, 234 the Greens, 154 the AfD, 153 the FDP, 71 the Left, 18 the Free Voters and 2 the Südschleswigsche Voters' Association.

There are also 5 non-attached members from the Bundestag and the state parliaments.

According to Article 54 of the Basic Law, an absolute majority is required for the first two ballots.

If this is not enough, because not all members of the Federal Assembly vote from the Steinmeier government camp, he would be re-elected with a high degree of probability in the third ballot if a simple majority is sufficient.

The election will take place on February 13 in the Federal Assembly.

mrc / dpa / AFP