In his last act as president of Germany, Horst Koehler announced his resignation in a teary televised press conference on Monday.
His resignation comes in response to heavy criticism he received after saying that Germany must know military intervention “could be necessary” to uphold interests for a country relying on foreign trade.
Such action, he said, was conceivable “to protect our interests, for example, free trade routes, or to prevent regional instability, which might certainly have a negative effect on our trade, jobs and earnings.”
Mr. Koehler has been president since 2004. He said he was honored to have served Germany, and thanked the people who have put trust in him. According to Deutsche Welle, he said he “refused to defend himself against accusations that he would use the military unconstitutionally and for economic reasons.” Being forced to do so was unworthy of the presidential office, said Koehler.
On May 21 Koehler visited the 4,500 German troops in Afghanistan. The criticism he received on his comments, which he said were not aimed at the Afghanistan mission, and he had been misunderstood. Mr. Koehler was known as an honest man and was a popular politician.
He “had won the sympathies of the German people and was widely respected abroad,” Bavaria’s state premier, Horst Seehofer, said in the Deutsch Welle.
Within 30 days, the German Federal Convention, made up of German parliament members and State delegates, has to elect a new President. The role of the German President is largely ceremonial, with the office-holder typically following the will of the German parliament.
His resignation comes in response to heavy criticism he received after saying that Germany must know military intervention “could be necessary” to uphold interests for a country relying on foreign trade.
Such action, he said, was conceivable “to protect our interests, for example, free trade routes, or to prevent regional instability, which might certainly have a negative effect on our trade, jobs and earnings.”
Mr. Koehler has been president since 2004. He said he was honored to have served Germany, and thanked the people who have put trust in him. According to Deutsche Welle, he said he “refused to defend himself against accusations that he would use the military unconstitutionally and for economic reasons.” Being forced to do so was unworthy of the presidential office, said Koehler.
On May 21 Koehler visited the 4,500 German troops in Afghanistan. The criticism he received on his comments, which he said were not aimed at the Afghanistan mission, and he had been misunderstood. Mr. Koehler was known as an honest man and was a popular politician.
He “had won the sympathies of the German people and was widely respected abroad,” Bavaria’s state premier, Horst Seehofer, said in the Deutsch Welle.
Within 30 days, the German Federal Convention, made up of German parliament members and State delegates, has to elect a new President. The role of the German President is largely ceremonial, with the office-holder typically following the will of the German parliament.
