Julia Klöckner | The Boss as Federal President

Federal presidents are called Horst or Christian, Joachim or Frank-Walter. There hasn't been a Sabine or Petra among them so far, not to mention Elif or Yasemin. Julia Klöckner, President of the German Bundestag since this legislative period, would like to see things differently. "Since 1949, the list of federal presidents has included twelve men and no women. That's the opposite of equality," said the Christian Democrat – and advocates for a female head of state.

This move comes as something of a surprise, given that current Federal President Steinmeier isn't scheduled to vacate his seat until the year after next. The whole thing seems a bit like the attention-seeking demand of a politician who hasn't exactly been known as a feminist activist.

It's "high time for normality, even in the highest office of government," she says. However, in Germany, normality is more likely to be a 16 percent gender pay gap, overcrowded women's shelters, and unpaid care work. Klöckner wants to send a progressive message – because it costs nothing.

It's no secret: More women in government, equal representation of dual leadership at DAX-listed companies, and quota-based speaker lists at international conferences barely affect single mothers, stateless women, or surrogate mothers ordered from a catalog. This is what left-wing journalist Luise Meier meant when she asked: "To what extent can the precariously employed cleaning worker mean the same thing as her employer when it says 'equal pay for equal work'?"

But if one could wish for something: Why shouldn't it be a woman? Perhaps someone from the East, with a migration background, not too old. Does every head of state have to have a university degree? She should have children. And a nice husband.