German presidential elections are usually more about folklore and decorum than political drama. Yet things could be different on Saturday when the 1,224 electors who pick the country’s head of state gather in Berlin to make their choice.
For the first time in decades, the outcome of the vote, which this year coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Federal Republic, is not a foregone conclusion. Although incumbent Horst Köhler looks likely to be re-elected, there is a sizeable chance that he could become the first German head of state to be voted out of office after his first term.
