--- title: "Ilse Aigner Tapped for Federal President, Draws Criticism" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/ilse-aigner-tapped-for-federal-president-draws-criticism" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/ilse-aigner-tapped-for-federal-president-draws-criticism" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/ilse-aigner-tapped-for-federal-president-draws-criticism.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/ilse-aigner-tapped-for-federal-president-draws-criticism" category: "Politics" published: "2026-11-07T07:25:12.453Z" source_reported: "2026-11-07T06:35:36.083Z" updated: "2026-11-07T07:25:12.453Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 59 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-11-07T07:15:18.253417+00:00" --- # Ilse Aigner Tapped for Federal President, Draws Criticism *CDU and CSU select Bavarian politician; Greens and SPD voice concerns over selection process.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Two full reports and 12 digests provide sourcing, with claims attributed to named individuals and parties. - Craft 59 of 100, higher is better. The reporting clearly separates fact from comment and includes quotes from affected parties. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. The headline promises a clear outcome, but the body details a process with ongoing political maneuvering. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Ilse Aigner, president of the Bavarian state parliament, has been selected as the joint candidate for Federal President by the CDU and CSU parties. - Green Party politicians Omid Nouripour and Britta Haßelmann criticized CDU leader Friedrich Merz's handling of the candidate selection, calling it "unprofessional" and "undignified." - SPD leader Lars Klingbeil announced his party would support Aigner's candidacy, noting that the Union and SPD together hold a majority in the Federal Assembly. - AfD leader Tino Chrupalla stated that Aigner, as a candidate from the Union, would not be able to unite all Germans. Ilse Aigner, president of the Bavarian state parliament, has been chosen as the candidate for Federal President by the CDU and CSU parties. This decision means she would be the first woman and the first politician from the CSU to hold the office. The Federal Assembly is scheduled to elect Frank-Walter Steinmeier's successor on January 30. CDU leader Friedrich Merz is expected to officially propose Aigner to CDU leadership committees. However, the selection process has drawn criticism. Green Party politicians Omid Nouripour and Britta Haßelmann described the process as "unprofessional" and "undignified." CDU politician Roderich Kiesewetter also criticized the delay and perceived "dilettantism" in the selection, particularly in light of upcoming federal elections. Despite criticism of the process, SPD leader Lars Klingbeil announced his party would support Aigner's candidacy. He noted that the combined votes of the Union and SPD in the Federal Assembly would provide a majority. Some Green politicians, including Britta Haßelmann, expressed personal regard for Aigner, describing her as "approachable and attentive" in her previous roles. The AfD party leader, Tino Chrupalla, stated that Aigner, as a candidate representing the Union, would not be able to unite all Germans. The Left Party had previously advocated for a non-partisan candidate. ## Disagreement on selection process Green Party politicians Omid Nouripour and Britta Haßelmann described Friedrich Merz's handling of the candidate selection as "unprofessional" and "undignified." CDU politician Roderich Kiesewetter criticized the "dilettantism and delay" in the process. In contrast, Friedrich Merz stated he was adhering to agreed-upon procedures, suggesting he was one of the few doing so. ## What the coverage left out None of the centre or right-rated reports mentioned the specific date of January 30 for the Federal Assembly election of Frank-Walter Steinmeier's successor. The full reports from Saarbrücker Zeitung and Volksfreund did include this date. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 0% (0) - Centre: 50% (3) - Right: 50% (3) 9 of 15 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-11-07T07:15:18.253417+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 3 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-11-07T08:00:15.930Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre - The centre-rated reports from Saarbrücker Zeitung and Volksfreund led with Ilse Aigner being the chosen candidate for the Union and noted the criticism of Friedrich Merz's handling of the selection process. They detailed that Aigner would be the first female Federal President and the first from the CSU. These reports included statements from Green politicians Omid Nouripour and Britta Haßelmann criticizing Merz, CDU politician Roderich Kiesewetter's remarks on the delay, and SPD leader Lars Klingbeil's announcement of support. They also reported the AfD's rejection of Aigner and the Left Party's preference for a non-partisan candidate. The full reports from these outlets also mentioned potential implications for future chancellorship candidacies. ### Right - The right-rated reports from Welt, RP Online, and Handelsblatt focused on Ilse Aigner being the favoured candidate for Federal President. Welt's digest stated the Union was gathering behind the CSU politician while noting Merz's criticism of his own handling of the candidate question. RP Online's digest framed the story as a "poker round" and identified "winners and losers" in Aigner's candidacy. Handelsblatt's digest also highlighted Aigner as the "unabridged candidate" and mentioned criticism of the chancellor. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - high: 4 - unknown: 9 - veryHigh: 2 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [Welt](https://welt.de/videos/video6aeebfc110638fe3bf6e04fd/csu-politikerin-union-will-ilse-aigner-als-bundespraesidentin-nominieren.html) — CSU Politician: Union Wants to Nominate Ilse Aigner as Federal President - [RP Online](https://rp-online.de/politik/deutschland/aigner-naechste-bundespraesidentin-wer-dabei-verloren-und-wer-gewonnen-hat_aid-157941643) — CSU Woman Becomes Federal President: These Are the Winners and Losers in Aigner Poker - [op-online.de](https://op-online.de/politik/ilse-aigner-ist-die-ungekuerte-kandidatin-kritik-an-merz-zr-94578687.html) — Ilse Aigner Is the Unabridged Candidate - Criticism of Merz - [RN](https://ruhrnachrichten.de/dpa-infoline-zvr/ilse-aigner-ist-die-ungekuerte-kandidatin-kritik-an-merz-w1271300-2002289625) — Ilse Aigner Is the Unabridged Candidate - Criticism of Merz - [bbv-net.de](https://bbv-net.de/dpa-infoline-zvr/ilse-aigner-ist-die-ungekuerte-kandidatin-kritik-an-merz-w1271300-6000658125) — Ilse Aigner Is the Unabridged Candidate - Criticism of Merz - [onetz.de](https://onetz.de/deutschland-welt/ilse-aigner-ungekuerte-kandidatin-kritik-merz-id5555287.html) — Ilse Aigner Is the Unabridged Candidate - Criticism of Merz - [Handelsblatt](https://handelsblatt.com/politik/deutschland/bundespraesidentenwahl-ilse-aigner-ist-die-ungekuerte-kandidatin-kritik-an-merz/100268048.html) — Federal Presidential Election: Ilse Aigner Is the Unabridged Candidate - Criticism of Merz - [noz.de](https://noz.de/deutschland-welt/politik/artikel/ilse-aigner-ist-die-ungekuerte-kandidatin-kritik-an-merz-51713023) — Ilse Aigner Is the Unabridged Candidate - Criticism of Merz - [saarbruecker-zeitung.de](https://saarbruecker-zeitung.de/sport/olympia2026/ilse-aigner-ist-die-ungekuerte-kandidatin-kritik-an-merz_aid-157989773) — Federal Presidential Election: Ilse Aigner Is the Unabridged Candidate - Criticism of Merz - [volksfreund.de](https://volksfreund.de/sport/olympia2024/ilse-aigner-ist-die-ungekuerte-kandidatin-kritik-an-merz_aid-157989777) — Federal Presidential Election: Ilse Aigner Is the Unabridged Candidate - Criticism of Merz - [wz.de](https://wz.de/politik/inland/ilse-aigner-ist-die-ungekuerte-kandidatin-kritik-an-merz_aid-157989769) — Ilse Aigner Is the Unabridged Candidate - Criticism of Merz - [nordbayern.de](https://nordbayern.de/schlagzeilen/ilse-aigner-ist-die-ungekurte-kandidatin-kritik-an-merz-1.15343893) — Ilse Aigner Is the Unabridged Candidate - Criticism of Merz - [stol.it](https://stol.it/artikel/politik/deutschland-gruene-im-bundestag-offen-fuer-aigner-als-bundespraesidentin) — Germany: Greens in the Bundestag Open to Aigner as Federal President - [rnd.de](https://rnd.de/politik/ilse-aigner-soll-bundespraesidentin-werden-die-lachende-dritte-SYWWJYF33NCWLOWCY2IHFYIRVE.html) — Ilse Aigner to Become Federal President: The Laughing Third - [LVZ - Leipziger Volkszeitung](https://lvz.de/politik/ilse-aigner-soll-bundespraesidentin-werden-die-lachende-dritte-SYWWJYF33NCWLOWCY2IHFYIRVE.html) — Ilse Aigner to Become Federal President: The Laughing Third ## Questions **Who has been selected as the candidate for Federal President?** Ilse Aigner, the current president of the Bavarian state parliament, has been selected as the joint candidate for Federal President by the CDU and CSU parties. This selection makes her the favoured candidate to succeed Frank-Walter Steinmeier. **What criticism has been directed at the candidate selection process?** Green Party politicians Omid Nouripour and Britta Haßelmann have criticized CDU leader Friedrich Merz's handling of the selection process, calling it "unprofessional" and "undignified." CDU politician Roderich Kiesewetter also criticized the delays and perceived lack of decisiveness. **Which parties have indicated their support or opposition to Aigner's candidacy?** The SPD, led by Lars Klingbeil, has announced its support for Aigner's candidacy. The AfD, through its leader Tino Chrupalla, has stated that Aigner would not be able to unite all Germans. The Left Party had previously called for a non-partisan candidate. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/ilse-aigner-tapped-for-federal-president-draws-criticism. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Ilse Aigner Tapped for Federal President, Draws Criticism", https://mediabias.news/politics/ilse-aigner-tapped-for-federal-president-draws-criticism