(VOVworld) – Former foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier is elected as German new President, succeeding Joachim Gauck.

Germany's parliamentary assembly voted for a new President in Berlin (Photo: AFP/VNA)

The 61-year-old member of the Social Democrats (SPD) received strong support from the Germany’s ruling coalition, which consists of the SPD, the Christian Democratic Union of Germany (CDU), and the Christian Social Union (CSU). Recent polls by Der Spiegel magazine named Steinmeier as Germany’s favorite politician, surpassing Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chancellor candidate Martin Schulz.

Steinmeier strongly criticized Donald Trump during the US presidential campaign and was dubbed as “the anti-Trump president” by the Berliner Morgenpost daily newspaper.

Steinmeier will be sworn into office on March 19^th.