MOSCOW (Sputnik) – Last month, the Social Democratic Party (SPD) named Steinmeier as its presidential candidate. On Monday, Chancellor Angela Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU) agreed on the candidacy of Steinmeier. The CDU's Bavarian ally Christian Social Union (CSU) also backed his bid for the presidency.
The new German president will be elected on February 12 by a special assembly of lawmakers from Germany's 16 federal states.
Steinmeier, 60, has been German foreign minister since 2013 and chairman-in-office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe since 2016. He was chairman of the SPD Parliamentary Group in 2009 — 2013 and German vice chancellor in 2007 — 2009.