Page 8 - ARUBA TODAY

A8 WORLD NEWS
Monday 13 February 2017

Germany picks ex-foreign minister Steinmeier as president

KIRSTEN GRIESHABER ber of representatives from of the country as its host for
Associated Press Germany’s 16 states. visiting dignitaries.
BERLIN (AP) — A special He received 931 of the “Let’s be brave, because
assembly elected former 1,260 votes. Steinmeier suc- then we don’t have to be
German foreign minister ceeds Joachim Gauck, a afraid of the future,” Stein-
Frank-Walter Steinmeier by 77-year-old former pastor meier said in his accep-
an overwhelming majority and East German pro-de- tance speech.
Sunday to be the country’s mocracy activist who did He said the world faces
new president. not seek a second five-year “rough times,” but that
Steinmeier was elected term because of his age. Germany, as a function-
in Berlin by the assembly The German president has ing democracy, had the
made up of the 630 mem- little executive power, but responsibility to fight for sta-
bers of parliament’s lower is considered an important bility.
house and an equal num- moral authority and symbol “Isn’t it actually wonder-

German President Joachim Gauck, left, congratulates newly
elected German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier when a Ger-
man parliamentary assembly came together to elect the coun-
try’s new president in Berlin, Germany, Sunday, Feb. 12, 2017.
(AP Photo/Michael Sohn)
ful, that this Germany, our ment in the United States.”
difficult fatherland, that Steinmeier, a 61-year-old
this country has become Social Democrat, had the
an anchor of hope in the backing in the election of
world for many,” after over- German Chancellor An-
coming wars and totalitari- gela Merkel’s “grand co-
anism, Steinmeier said. alition” of center-right and
Steinmeier is normally stu- center-left parties.
diously diplomatic, but Merkel congratulated him
he strongly criticized Don- on Sunday and said she
ald Trump during the U.S. was convinced he would
election campaign. Asked be an excellent president
in August about the rise who would enjoy wide sup-
of right-wing populism in port.
Germany and elsewhere, “This is a good day for Ger-
Steinmeier criticized those many,” she said.
who “make politics with The presidential vote was
fear.” likely one of the last mo-
He cited as examples the ments of coalition unity
nationalist Alternative for ahead of a parliamentary
Germany party, the pro- election in September in
moters of Britain’s exit from which Merkel is seeking
the European Union, and a fourth term. Both sides
“the hate preachers, like hope to end the “grand
Donald Trump at the mo- coalition.”q