Steinmeier awards Cross of Merit to Prime Minister
On Friday, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier will award six current and one former Minister President with the Federal Cross of Merit. Among them is the head of government of Brandenburg, Dietmar Woidke (SPD). Malu Dreyer (SPD/Rhineland-Palatinate), Winfried Kretschmann (Greens/Baden-Württemberg), Stephan Weil (SPD/Lower Saxony), Reiner Haseloff (CDU/Saxony-Anhalt) and Bodo Ramelow (Left Party/Thuringia) will also receive the award. Former Prime Minister and Federal Minister of the Interior Horst Seehofer (CSU/Bavaria) will also be honored with the Order.
According to the Office of the Federal President, Steinmeier is following a decades-old practice of awarding the Cross of Merit to long-serving heads of government of the federal states. This honors their outstanding role in the federal system of the Federal Republic of Germany. Those who are now receiving the medals have rendered outstanding services to the common good in Germany over many years in numerous political functions and also through voluntary work.
Their offices required a high degree of personal commitment, the Office of the Federal President added. In times of great political challenges, the politicians assume responsibility for important decisions in their states and, as members of the Bundesrat, for Germany as a whole. They also contribute to Germany's image in the world.
Federal President Steinmeier acknowledges the significant contributions of various Federal State leaders by awarding them the Federal Cross of Merit. As part of this long-standing practice, the Federal President honors Prime Ministers Woidke, Dreyer, Kretschmann, Weil, Haseloff, and Ramelow, as well as former Prime Minister Seehofer, for their dedicated service to the common good and notable roles in the federal system of Germany.
Source: www.dpa.com
