Joachim Gauck Elected German President

With nearly ninety percent of the vote Joachim Gauck has been elected President of Germany. All of the major political parties supported him for the office. After scandals have led to the resigning or removal of the previous two presidents, there is much hope that Gauck can restore dignity to the office.

Gauck is a former Lutheran pastor from East Germany, and has been known for his human rights activism. He was one of the leaders of the peaceful protests that helped bring about the fall of the Berlin Wall.

There is some worry that he'll use the office as a stage to make the country more religious, but it is doubtful that even if he tried, he would be able to do so. The office of presidency, in Germany, is mostly ceremonial and an advisory position, with all the real power belonging to the Chancellor. And Angela Merkel, the Chancellor, is extremely popular and wields the power well.

Germany, the largest country of the European Union, has been forced into greater leadership, as more and more of the other EU countries are struggling with financial woes. Despite all the down trends around them, Germany has continued to grow economically. Merkel and Gauck will have to work together to maintain a untied German front as they fight off their neighbors troubles.