Olaf Scholz says its time Germany elects a female president

Olaf Scholz believes it is time for a woman to take over as Germany’s president.

“I would be delighted if we elected a woman to Bellevue Palace in 2027,” the chancellor said.

Bellevue Palace is the official Berlin residence of the German president.

Since 1949, Germany has had 12 federal presidents, all men.

Angela Merkel, who governed from 2005 to 2021, was the only woman who served as chancellor since the Federal Republic was founded.

Germany’s current president is Frank-Walter Steinmeier. The 68-year-old’s second and final term of office ends in 2027.

Speaking in favour of a gradual increase in the minimum hourly wage to 15 euros (16.2 U.S. dollars), he said, “I am clearly in favour of raising the minimum wage to 14 euros first, then to 15 euros in the next step.” At the same time, he criticised the Minimum Wage Commission.

“The employers insisted on only a mini-adjustment. They also broke with the tradition of deciding by mutual agreement”, according to Scholz.

The current plan is to raise the minimum wage from the current 12.41 euros to 12.82 euros next year.