Pastor elected as German President

Joachim Gauck, a former Lutheran pastor and human-rights activist from the former East Germany, was elected President yesterday.

Mr Gauck won comfortably in the Federal Assembly vote. His victory was never in doubt after all the main political parties threw their weight behind his candidacy.

However, the feisty theologian may prove an uncomfortable partner for Chancellor Angela Merkel, even if as a mainly symbolic head of state he poses no threat to her domination of German politics.

Reuters