Turbulence likely for Merkel as rival elected president
Deja vu hung over the day for the 72-year-old: in June 2010 he had sat on the same spot, listening to the applause for [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] the man who beat him to the job, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s candidate Christian Wulff.
After Wulff’s resignation last month in disgrace, German political leaders agreed – after much backroom dealing – that last time’s bridesmaid should become the bride after all.
Mr Gauck reminded his audience that this “wonderful Sunday” was the 22nd anniversary of the first free elections in East Germany, ending a totalitarian rule that had begun with the Nazis.
“After 56 years of dictatorship we were finally able to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] become citizens,” he said. “I knew then that I would never miss another election.” Though the role is largely ceremonial, Germany’s 11th head of state is known for his strong personality, meaning Germany is headed for [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] an interesting political cohabitation.
Mr Gauck’s presidential ambitions, and Dr Merkel’s attempts to thwart them, have provided a belated lesson for west Germans that sharing an East German background does not automatically make for fast friends.
Their antipathy reached its peak at his 70th birthday party when Dr Merkel said in a speech that they could be proud of their shared East German biographies and involvement in the 1989 revolution.She played down their differences yesterday, saying: “We’re all adults. I look forward to a good collaboration.” Mr Gauck enjoys public approval of [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] 80 per cent, following his role as the first post-1989 custodian of East Germany’s Stasi archive. But he has been criticised for allowing himself to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] be feted as an East German dissident.
Deja vu hung over the day for the 72-year-old: in June 2010 he had sat on the same spot, listening to the applause for [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] the man who beat him to the job, Chancellor Angela Merkel’s candidate Christian Wulff.
After Wulff’s resignation last month in disgrace, German political leaders agreed – after much backroom dealing – that last time’s bridesmaid should become the bride after all.
Mr Gauck reminded his audience that this “wonderful Sunday” was the 22nd anniversary of the first free elections in East Germany, ending a totalitarian rule that had begun with the Nazis.
“After 56 years of dictatorship we were finally able to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] become citizens,” he said. “I knew then that I would never miss another election.” Though the role is largely ceremonial, Germany’s 11th head of state is known for his strong personality, meaning Germany is headed for [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] an interesting political cohabitation.
Mr Gauck’s presidential ambitions, and Dr Merkel’s attempts to thwart them, have provided a belated lesson for west Germans that sharing an East German background does not automatically make for fast friends.
Their antipathy reached its peak at his 70th birthday party when Dr Merkel said in a speech that they could be proud of their shared East German biographies and involvement in the 1989 revolution.She played down their differences yesterday, saying: “We’re all adults. I look forward to a good collaboration.” Mr Gauck enjoys public approval of [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] 80 per cent, following his role as the first post-1989 custodian of East Germany’s Stasi archive. But he has been criticised for allowing himself to [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] be feted as an East German dissident.