German presidential election, 2012
On 18 March 2012, the 15th Federal Assembly elected in the Reichstag building in Berlin Joachim Gauck the first ballot for the eleventh President of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Background and election date
On 17 February 2012, the tenth President Christian Wulff had resigned from his post. He was thus by its direct predecessor, Horst Köhler, the second President, who ended his term of office with immediate effect. Among the reasons that prompted Wulff to see Wulff affair. The official business of the Federal President Wulff temporarily led after the resignation of President of the German Bundesrat, Horst Seehofer (CSU ).
According to Article 54 paragraph 4 of the Basic Law (GG) had to convene the Federal Assembly for the election of the Federal President no later than 30 days after the resignation.
The selections from the Saarland parliament members of the 15th Federal Assembly were determined by the already dissolved parliament whose election period but only ends in accordance with Article 67 paragraph 1 sentence 2 of the Constitution of the Saarland with the meeting of the Diet, the new 25 March 2012 was chosen. The North Rhine-Westphalian state parliament was dissolved March 14, there ended the legislature also at this time, however, the delegates have already been identified on 28 February.
The 17th German Bundestag is the first Bundestag, which participates in two federal assemblies. The Landtag of Bavaria, Hesse and Lower Saxony had to choose only within an election period delegates for three federal meetings.
Candidates
Beate Klarsfeld (2012 )
Olaf Rose ( 2011)
For Federal President is selectable according to Article 54 paragraph 1 GG, who owns a German citizen the right to vote in the Bundestag and the 40th years of age. Nominations may be submitted each member of the Federal Assembly; the written consent of the nominee must be accompanied by ( § 9 para 1 BPräsWahlG ).
Joachim Gauck
The non-partisan civil rights and theologian Joachim Gauck was proposed on February 19, 2012 by the parties, the CDU, CSU, SPD, FDP and Alliance 90/The Greens as a common candidate. Also the SSW and the Free Voters announced to support Gauck.
Gauck was already a candidate in the election of the President of Germany, 2010., Where he was set up by the SPD and the Greens and also received from the outdoors voters and the SSW consent, but lost in the third ballot Christian Wulff, who by the opposition parties and the FDP was supported.
The behind Gauck parties made in the Federal Assembly in 1111 of a total of 1240 women and men choice. Joachim Gauck was elected with 991 valid 1228 votes.
Beate Klarsfeld
The non-party journalist and activist for working up the Nazi past Beate Klarsfeld was The Left, which was represented by 124 people choice in the Federal Assembly, unanimously nominated on 27 February 2012 as a candidate by the board of the party. On March 5, the Saxon parliament elected on a proposal from the Left faction Klarsfeld to a member of the Federal Assembly.
Olaf Rose
Olaf Rose, military historian and author of revisionist writings, lecturer at right-wing extremist events and former member of the Federal Board of the NPD, was nominated by his party, which was represented in the Federal Assembly election with three people on March 5, 2012.
Federal Assembly
The Federal Assembly was composed as follows:
The Federal Assembly in accordance with § 8 BPräsWahlG by the President of the Bundestag, Norbert Lammert passed.
According to Article 54 paragraph 5 of the Basic Law is selected in the first or second ballot, who " receives the votes of a majority of the members of the Federal Assembly ." This corresponds to at least 621 votes. In the third ballot, the candidate with the most votes is elected.
Election result
Joachim Gauck was elected on the first ballot with 991 votes. On Beate Klarsfeld accounted for 126 votes and Olaf Rose 3 votes. Gauck said after the announcement of the election results to the plenary session of the Federal Assembly the adoption of the election. The swearing-in took place at a joint meeting of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat on 23 March 2012. Since the office of President was vacant, began Gauck's tenure as President, with the acceptance of the election.