Germany: Head of state steps down

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

I don't get Koehler decision. Why he's stepping down after one controversial statement. Hell, remember Heinrich Luebke...

Beside, on the positive side, President like Heinemann, Heuss, Rau, Weizacker adressed controversial issues frequently.

Not that I had any problem with a female president in general, but really: What qualifies von der Leyen except of being a woman?

Nothing, affirmative action! Just as Schwan argued in the election last year.

What qualifications the Federal President needs anyway?

Heh, anyway, now you German know how it is to not have a President

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Since I very much prefer Jens Böhrnsen over Ursula von der Leyen as head of state, I'm gonna enjoy the president-less time as long as it lasts.

Well, my President had at least a good excuse for once: plane crash.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

It's high time to get rid of this office anyway, in my eyes. Every 5 years Germany has to go through an episode of disgusting personal intrigues and party tactics, while everyone talks about the "dignity of presidency" and so on.

We should just let the president of the Bundesrat do the ceremonial job for his year in office.

Well, from my point of view, I wish Poland would have presidency like Germany, to strip President from any power and influence.

(I advocated this even before recently deceased comes to office, which made things much worse)

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

It seems settled now.

On June 30, the minister-president of Lower Saxony and CDU/CSU/FDP nominee Christian Wulff faces off against the former federal commissioner for the Stasi archives and SPD/Green nominee Joachim Gauck.

No word yet whether the Left will nominate a candidate of its own. The Gauck pick could piss them off.

Pastor Gauck? Seriously?

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

It seems settled now.

On June 30, the minister-president of Lower Saxony and CDU/CSU/FDP nominee Christian Wulff faces off against the former federal commissioner for the Stasi archives and SPD/Green nominee Joachim Gauck.

No word yet whether the Left will nominate a candidate of its own. The Gauck pick could piss them off.

Pastor Gauck? Seriously?

Why not? It's actually a good move to counter the boring career politician the CDU has nominated. Gauck certainly won't win any Left votes, but he'll probably draw some CDU and FDP votes away from Wulff. And if he manages to do that, SPD and Greens will already have achieved their goal.

I haven't said that's a mistake. I'm just suprised.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

There are two very ironical things regarding Koehler.

1. Basically since he took an office in 2004, I heard about him for two occassions: reelection in 2009 and when he comes to Krakow in April 2010. Hell, I hear more about von Weisacker, who's now 90 and is long out of office.
2. I learned about the resignation of the head of next door state two days after the fact... from Atlas. Big lol.