News In Brief

Former mayor of Berlin named German President

Former Berlin Mayor Richard von Weizsacker was elected West Germany's sixth President Wednesday by a strong majority of the Federal Convention, which picks a head of state every five years.

Baron Weizsacker, a member of Chancellor Helmut Kohl's Christian Democratic Union party, won overwhelming support among the four established parties for the largely ceremonial post. He follows outgoing President Karl Carstens, another Christian Democrat, who announced earlier this year that he would not run for a second term.

Weizsacker, a former Protestant church leader and parliamentary deputy, is a liberal and a firm supporter of East-West detente. He will assume the presidency July 1.

You've read  of  free articles. Subscribe to continue.
QR Code to News In Brief
Read this article in
https://www.csmonitor.com/1984/0524/052442.html
QR Code to Subscription page
Start your subscription today
https://www.csmonitor.com/subscribe