Three regional CDU leaders endorsed Ilse Aigner for the German presidency on November 4, 2026, altering the race to succeed Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Three eastern state premiers from the CDU backed Ilse Aigner as the joint candidate of the Union parties on November 4, 2026, according to Sueddeutsche. Saxony’s Minister President Michael Kretschmer, Thuringia’s Minister President Mario Voigt, and Saxony-Anhalt’s acting head of government Sven Schulze lined up behind the CSU politician ahead of internal party consultations.
Eastern Premiers Back Bavarian Parliament President
Kretschmer stated publicly that he expected Aigner to be named the Union’s joint candidate, noting that the office of the head of state transcends routine party politics. It is about a personality who can bring our country together
, Kretschmer said. Voigt added in an interview with the Stern that Aigner has das Zeug zur Bundespräsidentin
. Sven Schulze told the magazine Focus
that Aigner would make a very good candidate for the Federal Presidential Office. Brandenburg regional leader and deputy minister president, Jan Redmann, expressed his desire to see the 61-year-old CSU politician nominated by the entire Union.
🔴News: Mario Voigt spricht sich im @sternde für Ilse Aigner als Bundespräsidentin aus. Christina Stumpp bringt öffentlich auch Julia Klöckner ins Spiel, weitere Abgeordnete halten Klöckner für die Richtige. Hinter den Kulissen läuft der Kampf um Bellevuehttps://t.co/r0b79d3XsH
The endorsement from all three eastern CDU state leaders follows weeks of pressure from the Christian Social Union, whose leader Markus Söder first brought Aigner into the discussion earlier in the year. Throughout the 77-year history of the Federal Republic of Germany, every one of the twelve previous heads of state has been a man, and none has ever come from the CSU.
Baden-Württemberg CDU Joins Southern Alliance
The push for Aigner expanded beyond eastern Germany when the CDU parliamentary group in Baden-Württemberg aligned with the Bavarian CSU fraction. Following a meeting in Stuttgart, regional faction leader Tobias Vogt and his Bavarian counterpart Klaus Holetschek announced a coordinated effort to secure the presidency for Aigner.
Mit @TobiasVogt habe ich heute ein klares Ziel vereinbart: Ilse Aigner soll die nächste Bundespräsidentin werden. Sie steht für Heimatverbundenheit, Freiheit & Respekt vor Leistung – und trifft den richtigen Ton, ohne sich zu verbiegen. Die Südschiene steht! 👇🏼… pic.twitter.com/iBpQgJaADt
Holetschek praised Aigner’s political approach, noting her conservative foundations and her ability to bridge political divides without compromising her principles.
She strikes the right tone without bending herself.
Klaus Holetschek, CSU Group Leader
Vogt and Holetschek described their partnership as a Südschiene
designed to pool the political weight of both southern factions behind Aigner’s nomination. Additional support emerged from local party organizations, including the district chairman in Oldenburg-Land, Bastian Ernst, and the district chairman in Lüchow-Dannenberg, Christian Carmienke, who both voiced strong backing for the Bavarian Landtagspräsidentin.
Chancellor Merz Considers Party Nominations
Federal Chancellor and CDU leader Friedrich Merz announced that he intends to propose a female candidate from the political center to the party, though he had refrained from naming a specific individual during earlier discussions. Aigner remains a leading contender backed by her sister party and regional chapters, alongside other figures mentioned within party circles as potential nominees.
Bundestag President Julia Klöckner, Education Minister Karin Prien, former party and defense leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Hessian parliamentary group leader Ines Claus have also been named. State parliaments select half of the delegates for the Federal Assembly, which will officially determine the successor to Steinmeier on January 30, 2027.
🔴 News: Auch der geschäftsführende Ministerpräsident Sachsen-Anhalts, @SvenSchulze_CDU, unterstützt die CSU-Politikerin und bayerische Landtagspräsidentin als nächste Bundespräsidentin. „Ilse Aigner wäre eine sehr gute Kandidatin für das Bundespräsidialamt“, sagt Schulze dem…
Nicht erschrecken. Aber ich verstehe null, warum alle über Ilse Aigner als Steinmeier-Nachfolgerin sprechen und nicht über Julia Klöckner. Sie könnte es. Here is why.👇https://t.co/HOCqAO18dc