Federal Government of Germany facts for kids

"German Government" redirects here. For political system in Germany, see Politics of Germany.

Quick facts for kids Federal Government
Bundesregierung
Logo (top) and Bundesadler (bottom) of the Federal Government
Overview
State	Germany
Leader	Federal Chancellor (Olaf Scholz)
Appointed by	Federal President (Frank-Walter Steinmeier)
Ministries	16 Federal Ministries [de]
Responsible to	Bundestag
Headquarters	Berlin, Germany
Website	bundesregierung.de

The Federal Government (in German, Bundesregierung) is the main group that runs the country of Germany. It is in charge of carrying out laws and making decisions for the whole country.

This government is made up of the Federal Chancellor and many Ministers. Think of them as the country's top managers. The rules for how they are chosen and how they work are written in Germany's main law, called the German Basic Law.

The Chancellor and the Ministers can also be members of the German parliament, called the Bundestag.

There is also a larger group called the Federal Cabinet (Bundeskabinett). This includes the Chancellor, the Ministers, and other important advisors. The word "cabinet" is often used to talk about different governments over time. For example, the government led by Angela Merkel was called the Fourth Merkel cabinet.

How Germany's Government Works
What the Government Does
Germany's Current Government
See Also

How Germany's Government Works

Choosing the Chancellor

The Chancellor is chosen by the Bundestag, which is Germany's parliament. First, the President suggests a person for Chancellor. Then, the Bundestag votes. The person needs more than half of all the votes to become Chancellor. This is called the Chancellor-majority.

If the Bundestag does not agree with the President's choice, they can suggest other people. They have 14 days to try and elect someone new with the same majority. If they still cannot agree, there is a final vote. If someone gets more than half the votes, the President must make them Chancellor.

If no one gets more than half the votes in the final round, the President has a choice. They can either make the person with the most votes the Chancellor. Or, they can end the Bundestag and call for a new election within 60 days.

Becoming a Minister

After being chosen, the new Chancellor goes to Bellevue Palace. This is where the President lives. There, the President officially makes them the Chancellor.

Then, the Chancellor goes back to the Bundestag to take an oath. An oath is a promise to do their job well. After this, the Chancellor returns to the Palace with the people they want as Ministers. The President then officially appoints these new Ministers. They also go to the Bundestag to take their oaths. This finishes the process of forming the new government.

How the Chancellor Can Be Removed

In Germany, it is hard to remove the Chancellor. The Bundestag can only remove the Chancellor by choosing a new one at the same time. This is called a constructive vote of no confidence. This rule helps keep the government stable. It means there is always a leader, preventing a time when no one is in charge.

If the Chancellor loses a simple vote of confidence, they do not have to leave office. But they can ask the President to end the Bundestag and call for new elections. This has happened a few times in Germany's history.

What the Government Does

Leading the Country

The Chancellor is the main leader of the government. The government's time in office is linked to the Chancellor's time. If a new Bundestag is elected, or if a new Chancellor is chosen, the old government's term ends.

However, the old Chancellor and their Ministers often stay in office for a short time. They act as a temporary government until a new Chancellor is chosen. This makes sure the country always has a government running things.

The Chancellor is responsible for guiding the government. They decide the main direction of the country's policies. This is called Richtlinienkompetenz in German.

Roles of the Ministers

Each Minister leads a specific department, like health or education. They can make decisions for their department on their own. But they must follow the general direction set by the Chancellor.

The Chancellor can ask the President to remove a Minister or appoint a new one at any time. The President must agree to the Chancellor's request. The Chancellor also decides what each Minister's job will be. They can even lead a department themselves, though this is not common.

There are some special rules for certain Ministers. For example, the Minister of Defence is the commander of the armed forces during peacetime. The Minister of Justice appoints the chief public prosecutor. These Ministers have special powers.

If two Ministers disagree on something, the government usually votes to decide. Or, the Chancellor can make the final decision. This depends on how the Chancellor likes to lead.

The Vice Chancellor

The Chancellor must choose one Minister to be the Vice Chancellor. The Vice Chancellor takes the Chancellor's place if the Chancellor is away or cannot do their job. In governments made of several parties, the Vice Chancellor is usually a top Minister from the second-largest party.

If the Chancellor dies or cannot act as Chancellor, the Vice Chancellor becomes the temporary Chancellor. They stay in this role until the Bundestag chooses a new Chancellor.

Running the Government's Daily Business

The Chancellor is also in charge of the government's daily tasks. These tasks are often handled by the Head of the Chancellery. This person is usually also a Minister for Special Affairs.

The government usually meets every Wednesday morning at the Chancellery in Berlin. For a meeting to be official, at least half of the Ministers must be there, including the Chancellor or Vice Chancellor.

Keeping Peace and Security

The government also plays a role in keeping international peace. For example, weapons for war can only be made or sold with the government's approval. This is handled by a special group called the Federal Security Council. The Chancellor leads this group.

The government also shares information about arms exports with the Bundestag. This helps keep things open and clear.

Germany's Current Government

The current government of Germany has been in office since December 8, 2021. It is the 24th government of Germany. It includes the following Ministers:

Order	Office	Minister	Party	Took office
1	Chancellor	Olaf Scholz	SPD	8 December 2021
2	Vice Chancellor Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action	Robert Habeck	Greens	8 December 2021
3	Federal Minister of Finance	Jörg Kukies	SPD	7 November 2024
4	Federal Minister of the Interior and Community	Nancy Faeser	SPD	8 December 2021
5	Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs	Annalena Baerbock	Greens	8 December 2021
6	Federal Minister of Justice	Volker Wissing	Independent	7 November 2024
7	Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs	Hubertus Heil	SPD	14 March 2018
8	Federal Minister of Defence	Boris Pistorius	SPD	19 January 2023
9	Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture	Cem Özdemir	Greens	8 December 2021
10	Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth	Lisa Paus	Greens	25 April 2022
11	Federal Minister of Health	Karl Lauterbach	SPD	8 December 2021
12	Federal Minister for Digital and Transport	Volker Wissing	Independent	8 December 2021
13	Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety, and Consumer Protection	Steffi Lemke	Greens	8 December 2021
14	Federal Minister of Education and Research	Cem Özdemir	Greens	7 November 2024
15	Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development	Svenja Schulze	SPD	8 December 2021
16	Federal Minister for Housing, Urban Development and Building	Klara Geywitz	SPD	8 December 2021
17	Federal Minister for Special Affairs & Head of the Chancellery	Wolfgang Schmidt	SPD	8 December 2021