German presidential election, 1999

In the election for President of Germany in 1999 by the 11th Federal Assembly was Johannes Rau, who had lost five years earlier at the presidential election in 1994 against Roman Herzog, was elected as the eighth President. SPD leader Oskar Lafontaine had Rau made ​​the promise, his election to the presidency to push when he was resigning as Minister President of North Rhine -Westphalia. Despite the resignation of Lafontaine in March 1999 remained Rau SPD candidate. He could count on his election as SPD and the Greens to the majority in the Federal Assembly lacked only seven votes, and in addition, he also enjoyed sympathies in the FDP.

CDU / CSU brought the consciousness of the unwinnable election Ilmenau Professor Dagmar Schipanski into play, the Minister of Science in Thuringia was after the failed election.

Theology Professor Uta Ranke- Heinemann, proposed by the PDS for election, is the daughter of former German President Gustav Heinemann and the aunt of John designs wife, a granddaughter Heinemann.

• Presidential election in Germany
• Presidential election in 1999
• Johannes Rau