Horst Koehler, former German president from 2004 to 2010 and a respected global policymaker with a particular interest in Africa, died on Saturday after a short illness at the age of 81, the federal presidential office said in a statement.
Born in 1943 in German-occupied Poland, Koehler spent most of his early years living in refugee camps with his family before settling in Ludwigsburg, Baden-Wuerttemberg.
A trained economist and member of the Christian Democrats, Koehler rose to the position of deputy finance minister under ex-Chancellor Helmut Kohl, playing a key role in bringing the West German mark to East Germany after communist rule collapsed in 1990.
Koehler became managing director of the International Monetary Fund in 2000, a post he held for four years before being nominated for president in 2004.
As president, he was not afraid to defy the government, dissolving parliament in 2005 to call new elections and accusing then-Chancellor Angela Merkel in 2007 of not preparing the country sufficiently for globalisation.
But he stepped down a year into his second term after he was criticised for stating in a radio interview that foreign military action by the German army also served the country's economic interests.
Still, despite being a largely unknown figure before assuming the presidency, Koehler quickly proved himself in opinion polls to be one of Germany's most popular political figures.
"It was his belief in the strength of our country and in the energy and creativity of its people that allowed him to win so many hearts," German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier said in a statement on Saturday.
Polls have close in Bangladesh's first general election since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, marking a pivotal moment in the country’s po...
Afghanistan’s Health Minister has urged urgent action to strengthen domestic polio diagnostics and expand healthcare for returnees and vulnerable co...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Wednesday (11 February) that his government will only hold national elections once a ceasefire with Ru...
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has firmly ruled out any discussion of the country’s ballistic missile capabilities in the newly resumed, O...
Stalled U.S.–Iran talks and mounting regional tensions are exposing a growing strategic rift between Washington and Tel Aviv over how to confront Te...
NATO member Türkiye has dispatched several military aircraft to Germany, along with roughly 2,000 troops, to take part in the Western alliance’s largest annual military exercise.
Double world champion Max Langenhan delivered a dominant performance to win men’s luge singles gold on Sunday (8 February), breaking the track record four consecutive times as Germany extended its grip on the sport, now winning four of the past five Olympic titles.
Kazakhstan sharply increased oil shipments to Europe in January, exporting 310,000 tonnes to Germany and sending a further 106,000 tonnes via the Baku–Tbilisi–Ceyhan (BTC) pipeline.
German authorities have arrested five people suspected of running a criminal network to circumvent European Union sanctions by exporting goods to at least 24 sanctioned Russian defence companies, the federal prosecutor’s office said on Monday.
The United States and Azerbaijan signed a strategic partnership in Baku on Tuesday (10 February) encompassing economic and security cooperation as Washington seeks to expand its influence in a region where Russia was once the main power broker.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis arrived in Ankara on Wednesday, where Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held an official welcoming ceremony at the Presidential Palace, marking the start of high-level talks between the two NATO allies.
A senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader said on Tuesday that negotiations with the United States must remain focused on the nuclear issue and be grounded in realism, as Washington and Tehran prepare to resume talks mediated by Oman.
Russia has begun slowing down the Telegram messaging application, with Roskomnadzor, Russia’s federal communications regulator, set to implement partial restrictions from 10 February, following a wave of fines and administrative cases accusing the platform of hosting illegal content.
China became Brazil’s largest source of imported vehicles in January, overtaking long-time leader Argentina in a shift that underscores Beijing’s rapidly expanding influence in one of Latin America’s biggest auto markets.
Polls have close in Bangladesh's first general election since the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, marking a pivotal moment in the country’s political transition. Turnout reached 47.91% by early afternoon, according to partial data from election authorities.
Stalled U.S.–Iran talks and mounting regional tensions are exposing a growing strategic rift between Washington and Tel Aviv over how to confront Tehran, political analyst James M. Dorsey says, exposing stark differences in approach at a critical moment.
A Republican lawmaker accused on Wednesday (11 February) Attorney General Pam Bondi of concealing the names of Jeffrey Epstein’s powerful associates. The claim was made during a heated House hearing on the Justice Department’s handling of the files.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 12th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
The Ukrainian capital came under a “massive” Russian missile attack early Thursday (12 February), with explosions heard across the capital according to authorities. The assault unfolded as uncertainty lingers over upcoming U.S.-brokered peace talks.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment