The former German finance minister has been elected president of the Bundestag.
Sputnik has gathered some interesting facts about the 75-year-old politician.
- Schauble has been in politics for over four decades. He started his political career as a Bundestag MP, and then was appointed leader of Germany's ruling CDU party, Minister of the Interior and Finance Minister.
- Wolfgang Schauble became the first finance minister to balance the German budget since 1969, which is why he is called the inventor of the "black zero". Thanks to him, the German economy currently has a record trade surplus.
- However, the politician has repeatedly faced severe criticism in a number of EU countries, especially in Greece, for his handling of the euro crisis and adherence to austerity policies.
Wolfgang Schäuble has been elected Bundestag president with 501 votes, against 173 No votes. #Germany pic.twitter.com/wTSUQNurvk
— Yannis Koutsomitis (@YanniKouts) 24 октября 2017 г.
4. The new Bundestag president is an active supporter of a deeper European integration under Germany’s lead. His main motto is: “We Germans should continue to do everything we can to keep Europe together and as far as we can.”
5. Schauble is an active supporter of globalization: he also demonstrates a strong commitment to the transatlantic alliance with the United States. He spoke out in favor of the trans-Atlantic trade agreement (TTIP), which, however, has not been signed.
Herzlichen Glückwunsch Wolfgang Schäuble zur Wahl als Bundestagspräsident! #Bundestag
— Stefan Krabbes (@StefanKrabbes) 24 октября 2017 г.
Congratulations, Wolfgang Schäuble, on the election to Bundestag president! #Bundestag