Lutheran Pastor Joachim Gauck Set to Become Germany's New President
A Lutheran pastor will become Germany's new president after receiving overwhelming approval from German members of parliament voting on the appointment.
Joachim Gauck, 72, is not affiliated to any political party in Germany, but has become increasingly popular politically after regularly speaking eloquently on hot button topics that many others shied away from.
Gauck will succeed the presidency from Christian Wulff, who was forced to resign in February over a financial scandal. Wulff's resignation has backed German Chancellor Angela Merkel into a U-turn, as she originally supported Wulff over Gauck in 2010 for the presidency. However, she has now offered her support to the Lutheran pastor.
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Critics, however, say that she is only supporting Gauck now due to pressure from the liberal Free Democrats. Merkel, the daughter of a Lutheran pastor herself, needs the Free Democrats on side for the German government coalition to be able to function efficiently. Many believe that Merkel fears Gauck could be too outspoken on sensitive issues.
Gauck is also the son of a pastor, and grew up in the old East Germany prior to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. He actually was forced to choose theology as his studies after other university courses were denied to him because his father had been deported to Siberia for his role in civil rights activism in the country, according to the BBC.
Gauck, who had a keen interest in politics, became known for holding services to precede protests against the German communist regime.
His activist works led to him being invited to head a body established to investigate the activities of the Stasi, the East German secret police, following the fall of the Berlin Wall. He took up the role and went on to garner praise for exposing various crimes committed during the Communist regime.
The president in waiting has described himself as a "liberal left conservative," but has worked politically on a non-partisan basis.
Gauck has four children, but is separated from his wife, and has lived for the past 12 years with a new partner; journalist Daniela Schadt.
