New era for Germany: Julia Klöckner elected Bundestag president

CDU politician Julia Klöckner has been elected as the new President of the German Bundestag at its constituent session.

Klöckner received 382 votes out of the 622 cast, with 204 voting against her and 31 abstentions. The 52-year-old Christian Democrat succeeds Bärbel Bas of the Social Democratic Party (SPD), who had presided over the Bundestag since the 2021 election, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

Klöckner’s election marks a historic achievement, as she becomes only the fourth woman to hold this prestigious position in the history of the Federal Republic of Germany.

The office of Bundestag President is the second most important in the German state protocol, following the Federal President, and is traditionally held by a member of the largest parliamentary group. In this instance, Klöckner’s appointment reflects the CDU/CSU’s position as the largest parliamentary faction, with 208 out of 630 seats in the new Bundestag.

Prior to this appointment, Klöckner served as Federal Minister of Agriculture in Chancellor Angela Merkel's government from 2018 to 2021. She has been a prominent figure in German politics, having also served as deputy federal chairwoman of the CDU from 2012 to 2022. In her home state of Rhineland-Palatinate, Klöckner was the leader of the opposition in the state parliament for several years, and she also gained early recognition as the German Wine Queen in 1995.

Her election to the presidency of the Bundestag signals her rising influence within Germany’s political landscape, and she is expected to play a crucial role in overseeing legislative activities in the federal parliament.

By Vafa Guliyeva