Newly elected German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier smiles after the presidential election. (AFP)
Berlin:
Former foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was elected Germany's president today, the 12th person to hold the largely ceremonial post in the post-war era.
Steinmeier, a Social Democrat who had served as foreign minister until last month, won 931 of the 1,260 votes by lawmakers and representatives of Germany's 16 federal states.
His predecessor, Joachim Gauck, steps down on March 18.
The German constitution mandates that a special assembly is convened to elect presidents. It includes 630 lawmakers in the Bundestag lower house and an equal number of representatives from the federal states.
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Steinmeier, a Social Democrat who had served as foreign minister until last month, won 931 of the 1,260 votes by lawmakers and representatives of Germany's 16 federal states.
His predecessor, Joachim Gauck, steps down on March 18.
The German constitution mandates that a special assembly is convened to elect presidents. It includes 630 lawmakers in the Bundestag lower house and an equal number of representatives from the federal states.
© Thomson Reuters 2017
(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
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