BERLIN (MNI) – German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s center-right
CDU/CSU-FDP government coalition on Sunday agreed with the center-left
opposition parties to jointly nominate former East German human rights
activist Joachim Gauck to become the country’s next president.

Gauck is not a member of a political party. The role of the German
president is mainly ceremonial.

On Friday, Christian Wulff, a member of Merkel’s CDU, announced his
resignation as president after state prosecutors asked parliament to end
his legal immunity over accusations he had accepted wrongful privileges.

–Berlin bureau: +49-30-22 62 05 80; email: twidder@marketnews.com

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