A special 1,260-member assembly on Sunday confirmed general expectations and elected Steinmeier as the new ceremonial head of state of the German Federal Republic. He will succeed current President Joachim Gauck, who decided to step down after a single five-year term in office, citing his advanced age of 77.
In his acceptance speech, Steinmeier called Germany “an anchor for hope,” saying that the country should take on responsibility and serve as a role model for other countries. “(Germany) inspires others to be brave, not because everything is well here, but because we’ve shown how much a country can improve,” he said.
