Recent endorsements from CSU leaders Markus Söder and Manfred Weber have elevated Ilse Aigner as the leading contender for the January 30, 2027, Federal Convention vote, with SPD voices also signaling openness to her as the first female president. The Union holds the nomination initiative in the coalition but requires SPD backing for the 631-vote majority in the Bundesversammlung, keeping the field competitive among other CDU figures such as Julia Klöckner, Boris Rhein, Karin Prien, and Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer. Ongoing internal Union discussions ahead of the late-October CSU conference and Chancellor Merz’s expected November comments sustain uncertainty, as cross-party consensus on a unifying candidate remains the decisive factor in trader pricing.