THE GUARDIAN: Christian Wulff was picked by Angela Merkel for head of state role but couldn't shake off row over improper business ties
Angela Merkel's handpicked choice for German head of state was forced on Friday into a humiliating resignation, after being caught up in an alleged corruption scandal and misguided attempt to muzzle the press.
German criticism of other European powers for less than perfect statesmanship came back to haunt Merkel's leadership as Christian Wulff finally stepped down as president after a months-long row about a dubious loan, a string of undeclared freebies and his attempt to silence a German tabloid that was investigating the matters.
The 52-year-old has now lost his immunity from prosecution and could potentially face jail if he is found guilty of criminal wrongdoing. Prosecutors indicated shortly before Wulff fell on his sword, that they had "factual indications" of Wulff's long-suspected improper ties to rich businessmen.
Wulff's departure is an unwelcome distraction for the chancellor, who is trying to stop the eurozone from unravelling while maintaining the moral high ground in the European Union. She had to cancel a trip to Rome on Friday morning in order to deal with the fall-out, standing up the Italian premier Mario Monti, with whom she had planned to sit down and discuss the euro crisis. Instead she found herself giving a press conference at her chancellery in Berlin expressing her "personal deep regret" that Wulff, her personal choice for president in 2010, had quit.
Wulff's legacy, said Merkel, would be reminding the nation that its "strengths lie in his diversity" – a reference to the president's remarks in 2010 that "Islam belongs in Germany" which proved controversial at the time. Keen to put a positive spin on the embarrassing situation, she said Wulff's decision to step down ahead of a possible criminal investigation showed the "strengths" of the German legal system – "everyone is treated equally regardless of their position" » | Helen Pidd in Berlin | Friday, February 17, 2012
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