Former Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier has been elected Germany’s new president.
Steinmeier is the 12th person to hold this ceremonial post.
He won 931 of the 1,239 valid votes by lawmakers and representatives of Germany’s 16 federal states.
Steinmeier is one of Germany’s best-known politicians, having twice served as top diplomat under Merkel for a total of seven years.
He is all set to assume the new post on the 19th of March after the current President Joachim Gauck steps down on the 18th March.