As of 2014, Joachim Gauck is the president of Germany. The 72-year-old was elected to the position on March 18, 2012, in Berlin after receiving 991 of the 1,228 valid votes.
After being elected, Gauck was sworn into the position on March 23, 2012, before members of parliament. Gauck is the 11th federal president to move into the position's official residence, the Bellevue Palace. He is a former Lutheran pastor who made a name for himself as an anti-communism activist in East Germany.
In Germany, presidents serve for 5 years and can only be re-elected once; the terms must be served consecutively.
