This morning, 25 October, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Pope Francis received in audience the President of the Federal Republic of Germany, His Excellency Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who subsequently met with His Eminence Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, accompanied by His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States, reported the Vatican Press Office.
During what the Vatican called cordial talks, the Parties discussed the recent internal political developments within the country. Attention then turned to matters of mutual interest, especially the question of migration and various situations of international conflict, as well as the importance of multilateral commitment to the search for a solution.
Steinmeier has served as President of Germany since 19 March 19, 2017. He was previously Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2009 and again from 2013 to 2017, as well as Vice-Chancellor of Germany from 2007 to 2009. Steinmeier was chairman-in-office of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 2016.
Steinmeier is a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), holds a doctorate in law, and was formerly a career civil servant. He was a close aide of Gerhard Schröder when Schröder was Prime Minister of Lower Saxony during most of the 1990s and served as Schröder’s chief of staff from 1996. When Schröder became Chancellor of Germany in 1998, Steinmeier was appointed Under-Secretary of State in the German Chancellery with the responsibility for the intelligence services. From 1999 to 2005 he served as Chief of Staff of the Chancellery.
Steinmeier was born in 1956 in Detmold. Although his full name is Frank-Walter, his friends call him Frank.
His father, a carpenter, was affiliated with the Church of Lippe (one of Germany’s few Calvinist regional church bodies, and a member church of the Evangelical Church of Germany). His mother, born in Breslau (now Wrocław, Poland), came as a refugee from a Lutheran part of Silesia during the flight and expulsion of Germans after World War II.
Steinmeier is married and has one daughter. On 24 August 24, 2010, he donated a kidney to his wife, Elke Büdenbender.
Steinmeier enjoys jazz and is an avid football fan.
