German ruling coalition nominates presidential candidate

Home>>World

Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, March 04, 2004

German ruling coalition nominates presidential candidate

Germany's ruling coalition has nominated social scientist Gesine Schwan as its presidential candidate, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder announced Thursday.

DISCUSSION

CHINESE

SEND TO FRIEND

Germany's ruling coalition has nominated social scientist Gesine Schwan as its presidential candidate, Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder announced Thursday.

The 60-year-old Schwan has made special contributions to the German-Polish relations and is a credible social scientist, Schroeder said at a press conference.

A member of the ruling Social Democratic Party (SPD), Schwan used to teach at the Free University of Berlin. Schwan is currently president of the European University in Frankfurt, whichborders with Poland.

Meanwhile, Germany's main opposition Christian alliance, which groups the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Science Union (CSU), and its partner, the Free Democratic Party (FDP), have agreed on Horst Koehler, general director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), as their joint candidate for presidency.

A special convention held among legislators from both federal and state levels will elect on May 23 the successor to President Johannes Rau, who has declared to step down when his term expires later this year.

Schroeder also praised the professional capability of the 61-year-old Koehler, noting that he picked Koehler as IMF chief in 2000.

Johannes Rau was elected as German President -- a post with almost no executive responsibilities -- in 1999 when he was 68.

Questions?Comments? Click here

Japanese media follows changes regarding 3 ' most-wanted' things for Chinese families ( 2 Messages)

It is unexpectedly easy to defeat "China Threat" theory: Japanese economist ( 17 Messages)

Scientific concept of development crucial to China's future growth: Premier ( 4 Messages)

China issues human rights record of the US ( 4 Messages)

China to promote "cocktail weight loss therapy" in response to WHO plan ( 2 Messages)