German prez Gauck to decide whether to seek 2nd term

Germany’s president says he will announce soon whether he wants a second five-year term, a decision that would spare Chancellor Angela Merkel a significant political headache.

Federal lawmakers and representatives from Germany’s 16 states will elect the largely ceremonial head of state next February.

President Joachim Gauck, a former pastor and East German pro-democracy activist with no party affiliation, enjoys support from most mainstream political parties. 

However, he’s already Germany’s oldest president at 76 and has left open whether he will run again.