"Indeed, this is my last visit as the head of the foreign ministry," Steinmeier said in Berlin during a press conference with his Czech counterpart Lubomir Zaoralek.
German politicians have been unable to agree on a candidate for the presidency for months. The term of office of current President Joachim Gauck is set to expire in March 2017. 76-year-old Gauck, a well-respected former pastor and human rights activist from East Germany, decided against consideration for a second term, citing his age. Gauck has been touted for returning respectability to the presidential office after the resignation of predecessor Christian Wulff over a corruption scandal.
Under German law, the president is selected by the Federal Assembly for a five year term. In practice, none of the countries` major parties has enough votes to push their favored candidate through without the approval of other parties.
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