Election of the German Federal President in 2004

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Election of the German Federal President in 2004
Candidates Votes in%
Horst Koehler
  
50.1
Gesine Swan
  
48.9
Abstentions
  
0.7
Horst Koehler
Gesine Swan

When the German Federal President was elected in 2004 , the former director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Horst Köhler ( CDU ), was elected ninth Federal President by the 12th Federal Assembly. He competed against the president of the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder) , Gesine Schwan ( SPD ). The type of candidate selection by the CDU / CSU and FDP , which ultimately led to Koehler's nomination, was often described by the public as inadequate to the dignity of the office. The CDU / CSU parliamentary group in parts of the CDU and the FDP was unable to enforce the favored Wolfgang Schäuble as a candidate.

The 604 votes that Horst Köhler received are only one vote more than the absolute majority and thus significantly less than expected in advance. However, there was a glitch during the electoral count, as Köhler only got 602 votes in the first count , which would have meant a second ballot. Union representatives insisted on a recount, in which two vote cards for Koehler were found in the pile of Schwan. There were nine abstentions and two invalid votes. It follows that at least nine members of the CDU / CSU / FDP camp voted for Schwan (if the abstentions and invalid votes were all cast by members of this camp; otherwise even more). A member from the SPD ranks stayed away from the Federal Assembly due to illness. The number of seats had also been reduced by one, as the Bundestag member Anke Hartnagel (SPD) died before the election and this mandate was not re-occupied because it was an overhang mandate .

In his acceptance speech, Köhler strove to do justice to Johannes Rau's legacy and to introduce himself as a mediator and person who creates trust. He praised the unity of Germany and called for a “Germany of ideas” and a more child-friendly society.

Berlin, May 23, 2004 - total number of votes 1205 - absolute majority 603
Ballot candidate Number of votes proportion of Political party
First ballot Horst Koehler 604 50.1% CDU
Gesine Swan 589 48.9% SPD
Abstentions 9 0.7%
Invalid votes 2 0.2%
Not submitted 1 0.1%
Horst Köhler was thus elected Federal President.

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. Westerwelle, Stoiber, Merkel am Küchentisch der Macht , article from March 4, 2004 by Frank Schirrmacher on Faz.net
  2. http://www.wahlrecht.de/news/2004/10.htm