German president out in wake of allegations
BERLIN — Angela Merkel’s handpicked choice for the ceremonial post of president resigned on Friday in a scandal over political favours, dealing a blow to the German chancellor in the midst of the euro zone debt crisis.
In a curt five-minute statement at the Bellevue presidential palace, Christian Wulff acknowledged that he had lost the trust of the German people, making it impossible to continue in a role that is meant to serve as a moral compass for the nation.
“For this reason it is no longer possible for me to exercise the office of president at home and abroad as required,” said Wulff, standing next to his wife Bettina. The search for a successor to Wulff could become a distraction for Merkel at a time when her government is embroiled in tough talks on a second bailout package for Greece, although ana- lysts said they expected any impact on the negotiations to be limited.
Merkel postponed a Friday trip to Rome, where she was to hold talks on the debt crisis with Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, to deal with the fallout from Wulff’s departure.
She said she regretted his departure and would seek talks with opposition parties to find a candidate to replace him.
The chancellor is riding a wave of popularity in Germany for her handling of the crisis, but the departure of Wulff raises questions about her judgment because she forced through his appointment in 2010 over a strong opposition candidate most Germans favoured.
He is the second president to step down in less than two years. His predecessor, former International Monetary Fund chief Horst Koehler, resigned unexpectedly after coming under fire for comments he made about the German mission in Afghanistan.