German Foreign Minister Steinmeier Confirms Resignation

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier confirmed that he was leaving his post, with his last meeting with a foreign minister of a different country taking place Wednesday.

BERLIN (Sputnik) – Steinmeier has been considered by Social Democratic Party to be the best candidate for the German presidency.

"Indeed, this is my last visit as the head of the foreign ministry," Steinmeier said in Berlin during a press conference with his Czech counterpart Lubomir Zaoralek.

German politicians have been unable to agree on a candidate for the presidency for months. The term of office of current President Joachim Gauck is set to expire in March 2017. 76-year-old Gauck, a well-respected former pastor and human rights activist from East Germany, decided against consideration for a second term, citing his age. Gauck has been touted for returning respectability to the presidential office after the resignation of predecessor Christian Wulff over a corruption scandal.

Under German law, the president is selected by the Federal Assembly for a five year term. In practice, none of the countries' major parties has enough votes to push their favored candidate through without the approval of other parties.