East German dissident and Lutheran pastor elected German president Joachim Gauck received the backing of all the country's main political parties in a special assembly of national and regional MPs at the German parliament, beating Beate Klarsfeld, his only opponent, by 991 votes to 126. The election of the popular 72-year-old ex-dissident comes just weeks after his predecessor Christian Wulff resigned in disgrace over a corruption scandal after just 20 months in office. The scandal besmirched the office of president in the eyes of many Germans, and embarrassed Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, who had hand-picked Mr Wulff as her candidate when he ran for the presidency in 2010 against Mr Gauck. Although mainly a ceremonial role, the German presidency is supposed to set a high ethical standard and be above controversy. Mr Gauck, described in East German secret police files as an "incorrigible anti-communist, rose to prominence during protests against the old communist state in 1989 as one of the leaders of the democratic movement. He has since become a steadfast defender of human rights and a holder of forthright opinions that he is not afraid to share. Mr Gauck's tendency to speak his mind has made him a popular figure in Germany but it could make for an awkward relationship with the chancellor. Political commentators have speculated that the new president will not shy away from criticising the government if he feels its policies infringe upon his principles.