horst köhler (born 22 february 1943) is a german politician of the christian democratic union. he was president of germany from 2004 to 2010. he was the candidate of the two christian democratic sister parties, the cdu and the csu, and the liberal fdp, for becoming president. köhler was elected to his first five-year term by the federal assembly on 23 may 2004. he was reelected to a second term on 23 may 2009. about one year later, on 31 may 2010, he resigned from his office in a controversy over his comment on the role of the bundeswehr in light of a visit to the troops in afghanistan.