Berlin 30-06-2010
The Bundes Chancellor Angela Merkel’s candidate, Christian Wulff, won enough votes on the 3rd ballot to secure the German presidency in Berlin today.
In the first round Wulff won only 600 votes in the 1,244-member assembly, while the opposition candidate, Joachim Gauck, received 499 votes – the 3rd candidate from the Linke party, Luc Jochimsen, got 126 votes.
On the 2nd vote, Wulff recieved 9 more votes 609, and Gauck 490 – niether had the magic number of 623 which would have secured a win.
The vote had to be held a third time with a simple, first past the post wins – the candidate with the most votes wins – and third time lucky for Wulff.
While Angela Merkel’s candidate did win, this Presidential election will be remembered for the votes of her coalition party which were NOT directly at their own party’s candidate and can thus be read as a motion of non-confidence in the government – by the governments own party.
Thus Ms Merkel is not a happy camper travelling to South Africa on Friday to watch the German football team play – and hopefully win – against Argentina. Probably the trip will do her good – especially a win!
Tags: Bundespraesident Wulff, german president, Merkels candidate President, Wulffr elected new German president
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