A post by @FirstSquawk on X.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz confirmed that the CDU supports Ilse Aigner as the country's next federal president, according to a First Squawk post on X. The endorsement settles the Christian Democrats' position on the largely ceremonial head-of-state role, which is filled through a Federal Convention rather than a direct popular vote. Aigner, a former Bavarian state minister and long-time CSU figure, would succeed Frank-Walter Steinmeier if elected. The backing matters because it signals party unity around a consensus candidate and reduces the prospect of a contested vote in the assembly. Watch for formal nomination timing and whether coalition partners and other parties line up behind Aigner ahead of the Federal Convention.