Köhler Elected German President

[Dirk39]

"Horst Köhler, the former head of the International Monetary Fund, was elected Germany's new president on Sunday. He said he wanted to use the ceremonial post to make the country a "land of ideas."

Winning the presidency in the first round of voting of Germany's Federal Assembly, Köhler garnered 604 votes compared to 589 for his opponent university president Gesine Schwan. In a speech after his election, the ninth postwar president said he wanted to encourage Germany to become a country of innovation and ideas.


"For me, Germany has been too slow on its path to a knowledge society," said the 61-year-old Köhler. He added he would also support efforts to continue with hard economic and social reforms. "We have to face reality. Germany will have to fight for its place in the 21st century."


The former Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund was nominated for the presidency by the opposition conservative Christian Democratic Union, its Bavarian sister party the Christian Social Union and the liberal Free Democratic Party. His victory over the Social Democrats and Greens candidate Schwan was never really in doubt."
http://www.dw-world.de/english/0,3367,1432_A_1211668_1_A,00.html

One nighmare after the other in Germany,
Dirk

[Kellanved]

1. nightmare

I avoided all news today, in the vain hope to avoid hearing that Köhler won.

His record is a stunning display of incompetence. He is a glorified department head of Kohl's finance ministry, responsible for the German Economic problems by botching the monetary reunion. His handling of the Argentina crisis as IMF head wasn't exactly faultless either.

I can't stand the man, his apparent disregard for the office and him tolerating that a Nazi judge votes for him.

The German presidential election is very undemocratic, in effect the President is elected by a joint session of the lower federal house with the state parliaments. With the added twist that not the house members are sent to vote, but important citizens.



The one funny thing I can find in this is the Houston Chronicle's headline: "Former IMF director elected German chancellor".

http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory.mpl/headline/world/2587756

No, it is not quite as bad, although Köhler is IMHO worse as President than he would be as Chancellor.

America: want a President? cheap and almost new?