Joachim Gauck. 

The next leader of Europe will be by the name of Joachim Gauck. The German press is currently hailing Joachim Gauck presidency nomination. The nomination of Joachim Gauck for the post of German president has been broadly welcomed by the press after the resignation of Christian Wulff. But opinion is divided over the repercussions for Chancellor Angela Merkel, who backed Mr Wulff over Mr Gauck in the previous presidential contest in 2010. He is set to be elected on March 18 with an overwhelming majority in a specially convened federal assembly, backed by all four major political parties in government and opposition. Only the far-left Linke party is likely to oppose him. He crossed swords with many of its former Communist members when investigating the Stasi files. Hereby a short portrait of Joachim Gauck; civil rights activist, former East German Protestant pastor and scourge of the Stasi secret police.