Debate about Steinmeier's successor: We don't need a federal president

The new Federal President will be elected on January 30, 2027. Or – if Friedrich Merz has his way – the new Federal President. That may sound like progress. But it's not. Of course it would be symbolic if a woman were to lead the country for the first time. Girls could see women in political leadership positions on the evening news program and dream of one day stepping into their place.

But they can already: Ursula von der Leyen (CDU) is President of the European Commission. Julia Klöckner (CDU) is President of the German Bundestag. Alice Weidel is at the head of the AfD. It is striking that we as a society are only ready for a very specific type of woman in leadership positions: the conservative. It was certainly no coincidence that Angela Merkel, a CDU politician, became the first female chancellor.

And it was certainly no coincidence that she fell from grace at exactly the moment when she first took a supposedly progressive stance with “We can do it”. Conservative and right-wing parties like to invoke the identity of individual people. At least they have a woman at the helm. After all, she is a lesbian. After all, her partner has a migration background. Then it can't be so bad that she likes to shout "remigration".

The taz is an independent, left-wing and opinionated daily newspaper. We have been arguing in our comments, essays and debate texts since the taz was founded in 1979. We often cannot and do not want to agree on an opinion. That's why you'll find some completely opposing positions here - all part of the very broad left-wing spectrum of opinions.

We don't need symbolic politics. We need the actual implementation of women's rights. The gender pay gap remains a reality. “Only yes means yes” still needs to be discussed. Femicides are at a new high. In order to represent the entire political spectrum, women with progressive attitudes should finally be allowed to take the lead. This is exactly where there is a problem. Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf was not allowed to become a judge at the Federal Constitutional Court. And the extent to which Elif Eralp (Left) is currently being torn apart publicly can hardly be justified with criticism of the content.