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Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany
Flag of the Chancellor of Germany.svg
Standard of the German Chancellor
DEgov-BK-Logo.svg
Logo of the German Chancellor
2025-02-23 Bundestagswahl – Wahlabend CDU by Sandro Halank–070.jpg
Incumbent
Friedrich Merz

since 6 May 2025 (2025-05-06)
Executive branch of the Federal Government
Federal Chancellery
Style Mr. Chancellor (informal)
His Excellency (diplomatic)
Member of Federal Cabinet
European Council
Seat Federal Chancellery, Berlin (main seat)
Palais Schaumburg, Bonn (secondary seat)
Nominator President
Appointer President
upon election by the Bundestag
Term length until the constitution of a new Bundestag (renewable)
Constituting instrument German Basic Law (German Constitution)
Formation 1 July 1867; 157 years ago (1867-07-01)
First holder Otto von Bismarck
Deputy Vice Chancellor
Salary 255,150 per year (as of 2020)

The Chancellor of Germany, officially the Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, is the head of the federal government of Germany. The chancellor is the chief executive of the Federal Cabinet and heads the executive branch. The chancellor is elected by the Bundestag on the proposal of the federal president and without debate (Article 63 of the German Constitution). During a state of defence declared by the Bundestag the chancellor also assumes the position of commander-in-chief of the Bundeswehr.

Thirty-seven people (thirty-six men and one woman) have served as chancellor, the first of whom was Otto von Bismarck taking over on 21 March 1871. The current officeholder is Friedrich Merz of the Christian Democratic Union, since 6 May 2025.

Role

Dt Bundestag Plenarsaal 2006
The cabinet bench in the Reichstag building (to the left of the flag) with the raised seat of the chancellor in the front row

The chancellor's authority emanates from the provisions of the Basic Law and in practice from their status as leader of the party (or coalition of parties) holding a majority of seats in the Bundestag (federal parliament). With the exception of Helmut Schmidt and Olaf Scholz, the chancellor has also been chairman of their own party. This was the case with Chancellor Gerhard Schröder from 1999 until he resigned the chairmanship of the SPD in 2004.

The first chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, set many precedents that continue today and established the chancellorship as the clear focus of power in Germany. Under the provisions of the Basic Law giving him the power to set guidelines for all fields of policy, Adenauer arrogated nearly all major decisions to himself. He often treated his ministers as mere extensions of his authority rather than colleagues. While his successors have tended to be less domineering, the chancellor has acquired enough ex officio authority (in addition to their constitutional powers) that Germany is often described by constitutional law experts as a "chancellor democracy".

The chancellor determines the composition of the Federal Cabinet. The president formally appoints and dismisses cabinet ministers, on the recommendation of the chancellor; no parliamentary approval is needed. According to the Basic Law, the chancellor may set the number of cabinet ministers and dictate their specific duties. Chancellor Ludwig Erhard had the largest cabinet, with 22 ministers, in the mid-1960s. Helmut Kohl presided over 17 ministers at the start of his fourth term in 1994; the 2002 cabinet, the second of Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, had 13 ministers, and the Angela Merkel cabinet as of 22 November 2005 had 15.

Article 65 of the Basic Law sets forth three principles that define how the executive branch functions:

  • The "chancellor principle" makes the chancellor responsible for all government policies; this is also known as the Richtlinienkompetenz (roughly translated as "guideline setting competence"). Any formal policy guidelines issued by the chancellor are legally binding directives that cabinet ministers must implement. Cabinet ministers are expected to introduce specific policies at the ministerial level that reflect the chancellor's broader guidelines.
  • The "principle of ministerial autonomy" entrusts each minister with the freedom to supervise departmental operations and prepare legislative proposals without cabinet interference so long as the minister's policies are consistent with the chancellor's broader guidelines.
  • The "cabinet principle" calls for disagreements between federal ministers over jurisdictional or budgetary matters to be settled by the cabinet.

List of chancellors (present)

Political party:       CDU       SPD

Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Political
party
Vice Chancellor(s) Cabinets
Term Time in office
1 Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F078072-0004, Konrad Adenauer.jpg Konrad Adenauer
(1876–1967)
15 September 1949

16 October 1963
14 years, 31 days CDU Franz Blücher (1949–57)
Ludwig Erhard (1957–63)
I
II
III
IV
2 Einde bezoek bondskanselier dr Ludwig Erhard en gaf persconferentie in het Haag, Bestanddeelnr 916-1330.jpg Ludwig Erhard
(1897–1977)
16 October 1963

1 December 1966
3 years, 46 days CDU Erich Mende (1963–66)
Hans-Christoph Seebohm (1966)
I
II
3 Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F029561-0008, Essen, CDU-Bundestagswahlkongress (cropped).jpg Kurt Georg Kiesinger
(1904–1988)
1 December 1966

22 October 1969
2 years, 325 days CDU Willy Brandt (1966–69) I
4 Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F057884-0009, Willy Brandt.jpg Willy Brandt
(1913–1992)
22 October 1969

7 May 1974
4 years, 197 days SPD Walter Scheel (1969–74) I
II
Vice Chancellor Walter Scheel served as acting Chancellor from 7 May to 16 May 1974.
5 Bundeskanzler Helmut Schmidt.jpg Helmut Schmidt
(1918–2015)
16 May 1974

1 October 1982
8 years, 138 days SPD Hans-Dietrich Genscher (1974–82)
Egon Franke (1982)
I
II
III
6 KAS-Kohl, Helmut-Bild-14701-1.jpg Helmut Kohl
(1930–2017)
1 October 1982

27 October 1998
16 years, 26 days CDU Hans-Dietrich Genscher (1982–92)
Jürgen Möllemann (1992–93)
Klaus Kinkel (1993–98)
I
II
III
IV
V
7 Wahlkampffoto Schröder CL 2005 (cropped).jpg Gerhard Schröder
(b. 1944)
27 October 1998

22 November 2005
7 years, 26 days SPD Joschka Fischer (1998–2005) I
II
8 Angela Merkel - Juli 2010 - 3zu4 cropped.jpg Angela Merkel
(b. 1954)
22 November 2005

8 December 2021
16 years, 16 days CDU Franz Müntefering (2005–07)
Frank-Walter Steinmeier (2007–09)
Guido Westerwelle (2009–11)
Philipp Rösler (2011–13)
Sigmar Gabriel (2013–18)
Olaf Scholz (2018–21)
I
II
III
IV
9 Olaf Scholz in 2023 (cropped).jpg Olaf Scholz
(b. 1958)
8 December 2021

6 May 2025
3 years, 149 days SPD Robert Habeck (2021–25) I
10 2025-02-23 Bundestagswahl – Wahlabend CDU by Sandro Halank–025.jpg Friedrich Merz
(b. 1955)
6 May 2025

Incumbent
3 days CDU Lars Klingbeil (Incumbent) I

Chancellor's election

The chancellor is elected by the Bundestag and formally appointed by the president of Germany. A chancellor's election is necessary whenever the office of chancellor has fallen vacant. This is the case if a newly elected Bundestag meets for the first time, or during legislative periods, if the former chancellor died or resigned.

The chancellor's election is one of the few cases in which a vote in the Bundestag requires a majority of all elected members, not just a majority of those assembled at the time, or the so-called Kanzlermehrheit ("chancellor majority"). As with other elections performed by the Bundestag, the chancellor is elected via secret ballot. The election procedure laid down in the Basic Law can be divided into three phases:

First voting phase

The process begins with the president of Germany proposing a candidate to the Bundestag (a formality, as they are usually a candidate on which majority parties have agreed to beforehand), who is then voted upon without debate ("1st voting phase"). If the nominee reaches the necessary "chancellor majority", the president of Germany will appoint him or her and, after that, the president of the Bundestag will administer the oath of office before the assembled house.

As of 2025, 20 of 21 regular Chancellor elections were successful in the first voting phase.

Second voting phase

If this nominee is not elected, the right of nomination is transferred onto the Bundestag: Candidates can now be nominated for election, whereby a nomination must be supported by at least a quarter of all MPs. The Bundestag can hold any number of ballots in this manner for two weeks. To be elected, a candidate still needs a "chancellor majority" of yes-votes.

Only once, a regular Chancellor election went to the second phase: In 2025, Friedrich Merz failed to obtain the "chancellor majority" on the first ballot; on the second ballot, held only a few hours after the first ballot, he was elected and subsequently appointed as chancellor.

Third voting phase

If the Bundestag is unable to elect a chancellor in these fourteen days, a final ballot is held on the very next day. Once again, candidates must be nominated by at least a quarter of all MPs. Candidates receiving a "chancellor majority" in this ballot are elected. Otherwise, it is up to the President of Germany either to appoint the candidate with the plurality of votes as Chancellor or to dissolve the Bundestag and call new elections.

As of 2025, no Chancellor election has proceded to this phase.

Other election mechanisms

Another possibility to vote a new chancellor into office is the constructive vote of no confidence, which allows the Bundestag to replace a sitting chancellor, if it elects a new chancellor with the "chancellor-majority" (see below).

Confidence

In principle, the Chancellor is dependent on the confidence of Parliament, which is bestowed upon him with the election. The Bundestag can also withdraw its confidence in the Chancellor; however, this is only possible by means of a motion that simultaneously requests the President to appoint a new Chancellor proposed by name; such a motion requires (as in an ordinary election of Chancellor) a majority of all members of the Bundestag (Constructive vote of no confidence). Such a motion has been tabled twice so far and was successful only once:

Date Proposed Candidate (Party) Incumbent Chancellor (Party) Yes-votes No-votes Abstentions Absent / void Necessary majority Result
27 April 1972 Rainer Barzel (CDU) Willy Brandt (SPD) 247 10 3 236 249 Motion failed
1 Oktober 1982 Helmut Kohl (CDU) Helmut Schmidt (SPD) 256 235 4 2 249 Motion successful

This is to be distinguished from a motion of confidence. This is a motion that only the Chancellor can submit to the Bundestag (optionally in conjunction with another motion or bill) to the effect that the Bundestag explicitly expresses its confidence in him (again). However, if the Chancellor loses the vote on this motion, this does not mean that he leaves office; rather, it gives him additional options for action: He can ask the President to dissolve the Bundestag and call a snap election or declare a legislative emergency, during which the government can bypass the Bundestag in the legislative process for a limited period of time. This apparent paradox is due to the fact that the motion of confidence is intended as an instrument of discipline for the chancellor vis-à-vis parliament or the factions supporting him: if the MPs fail to place their trust in him, they risk a new election or a (temporary and partial) disempowerment in the legislative process. In practice, however, the motion of confidence has also established itself as a means for the chancellor to deliberately trigger new elections by submitting the motion of confidence with the explicit goal of losing the vote and then requesting a dissolution of parliament. A total of six times a chancellor has submitted a motion of confidence to date; only twice was it a "genuine motion of confidence" (1982 and 2001), while in four cases the respective chancellor had the goal of triggering a snap election from the outset (1972, 1982, 2005, 2024).

Vice chancellor

2025-05-05 Unterzeichnung des Koalitionsvertrages der 21. Wahlperiode des Bundestages by Sandro Halank–049 (cropped)
Lars Klingbeil, the current Vice Chancellor of Germany

The chancellor must appoint one of the cabinet ministers as vice chancellor (Article 69.1 Basic Law). The vice chancellor may deputise for the chancellor, if they are absent or unable to perform their duties. Although the chancellor is theoretically free to choose any cabinet minister, in coalition governments the leadership of the second biggest coalition party usually designates one of their ministers for the position, whom the chancellor appoints accordingly.

If the chancellor's term in office ends or if they resign, the Bundestag has to elect a new chancellor. The president of Germany may ask the former chancellor to act as chancellor until a new office holder is elected, but if they are unwilling or unable to do so, the president may also appoint the vice chancellor as acting chancellor. This has happened once: On 7 May 1974, Chancellor Willy Brandt resigned as a consequence of the Guillaume affair, an espionage scandal. In his letter of resignation to President Gustav Heinemann he requested, to be not asked to remain in office in an acting capacity and instead to appoint the vice chancellor as acting chancellor. President Heinemann followed the request. Vice Chancellor Walter Scheel was appointed acting chancellor and served for nine days until the election of Helmut Schmidt on 16 May 1974.

Scheel not taken into account, three persons, Ludwig Erhard, Willy Brandt, and Olaf Scholz, have held both the office of Vice Chancellor and that of Chancellor of Germany.

The current vice chancellor of Germany is Lars Klingbeil, who also serves as Minister of Finance in the Merz cabinet.

List of vice chancellors (1949–present)

Portrait Name
(Birth–Death)
Term of office Political party Cabinet Portfolio
Term Time in office
1 Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-P001512, Franz Blücher 2.jpg Franz Blücher
(1896–1959)
20 September 1949

29 October 1957
8 years, 30 days FDP Adenauer I
Adenauer II
Marshall Plan/Economic Cooperation
2 Einde bezoek bondskanselier dr Ludwig Erhard en gaf persconferentie in het Haag, Bestanddeelnr 916-1330.jpg Ludwig Erhard
(1897–1977)
29 October 1957

16 October 1963
5 years, 362 days CDU Adenauer III
Adenauer IV
Economic Affairs
3 Bundesarchiv Bild 183-87989-0060, Erich Mende.jpg Erich Mende
(1916–1998)
17 October 1963

28 October 1966
3 years, 10 days FDP Erhard I
Erhard II
Intra-German Relations
The office was vacant from 28 October to 8 November 1966.
4 Einweihung des Mosel-Schiffahrtsweges 1964, Seebohm-MK060 RGB (cropped).jpg Hans-Christoph Seebohm
(1903–1967)
8 November 1966

1 December 1966
23 days CDU Erhard II Transport
5 Willy Brandt01.jpg Willy Brandt
(1913–1992)
1 December 1966

22 October 1969
2 years, 325 days SPD Kiesinger Foreign Affairs
6 Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1989-047-20, Walter Scheel.jpg Walter Scheel
(1919–2016)
22 October 1969

16 May 1974
4 years, 207 days FDP Brandt I
Brandt II
Foreign Affairs
7 Bundesarchiv FDP-Bundesparteitag, Genscher.jpg Hans-Dietrich Genscher
(1927–2016)
1st term
17 May 1974

17 September 1982
8 years, 123 days FDP Schmidt I
Schmidt II
Schmidt III
Foreign Affairs
8 Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F048636-0022, Dortmund, SPD-Parteitag, Egon Franke (cropped).jpg Egon Franke
(1913–1995)
17 September 1982

1 October 1982
14 days SPD Schmidt III Intra-German Relations
The office was vacant from 1 October to 4 October 1982.
9 Bundesarchiv FDP-Bundesparteitag, Genscher.jpg Hans-Dietrich Genscher
(1927–2016)
2nd term
4 October 1982

18 May 1992
9 years, 230 days FDP Kohl I
Kohl II
Kohl III
Kohl IV
Foreign Affairs
10 Jürgen Möllemann 2002 (cropped).jpeg Jürgen Möllemann
(1945–2003)
18 May 1992

21 January 1993
249 days FDP Kohl IV Economic Affairs
11 Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F063645-0024, Pullach, Besuch Carstens beim BND.jpg Klaus Kinkel
(1936–2019)
21 January 1993

27 October 1998
5 years, 279 days FDP Kohl IV
Kohl V
Foreign Affairs
12 Joschka Fischer 2014 (cropped).jpg Joschka Fischer
(b. 1948)
27 October 1998

22 November 2005
7 years, 26 days Alliance 90/The Greens Schröder I
Schröder II
Foreign Affairs
13 Franz Müntefering Bamberg 9151733.jpg Franz Müntefering
(b. 1940)
22 November 2005

21 November 2007
1 year, 364 days SPD Merkel I Labour and Social Affairs
14 Frank-Walter Steinmeier in Brazil.jpg Frank-Walter Steinmeier
(b. 1956)
21 November 2007

27 October 2009
1 year, 340 days SPD Merkel I Foreign Affairs
15 Guido-westerwelle-fdp-hamm-2013.jpg Guido Westerwelle
(1961–2016)
27 October 2009

16 May 2011
1 year, 201 days FDP Merkel II Foreign Affairs
16 Philipp Rösler 2012.jpg Philipp Rösler
(b. 1973)
16 May 2011

17 December 2013
2 years, 215 days FDP Merkel II Economic Affairs
17 MJK63118 Sigmar Gabriel (Frankfurter Buchmesse 2018).jpg Sigmar Gabriel
(b. 1959)
17 December 2013

14 March 2018
4 years, 87 days SPD Merkel III Economic Affairs (2013–2017)
Foreign Affairs (2017–2018)
18 Olaf Scholz 2021 (cropped).JPG Olaf Scholz
(b. 1958)
14 March 2018

8 December 2021
3 years, 269 days SPD Merkel IV Finance
19 Robert Habeck at Washington D.C..jpg Robert Habeck
(b. 1969)
8 December 2021

6 May 2025
3 years, 149 days Alliance 90/The Greens Scholz Economic Affairs and Climate Protection
20 2021-12-07 Unterzeichnung des Koalitionsvertrages der 20. Wahlperiode des Bundestages by Sandro Halank–100.jpg Lars Klingbeil
(b. 1978)
6 May 2025

Incumbent
3 days SPD Merz Finance

Official residence

Since 2001, the official seat of the chancellor is the Federal Chancellery in Berlin (Bundeskanzleramt). The former seat of the Federal Chancellery, the Palais Schaumburg in the former capital Bonn, now serves as a secondary official seat. The chancellor's country retreat is Schloss Meseberg in the state of Brandenburg.

The private lodging of the chancellors at Bonn has previously been the chancellor's bungalow built by Ludwig Erhard in the park of Palais Schaumburg, while his predecessor Konrad Adenauer used to live in his private house near Bonn. Under Adenauer, the government had also acquired a villa in Dahlem in 1962, a suburban district of southwestern Berlin, as a pied-a-terre of the chancellors in West-Berlin. Gerhard Schröder lived there between 1999 and 2001. Since 2004 it has however served as a private residence for the presidents of Germany. Angela Merkel preferred to live with her husband in her private apartment downtown.

Style of address

The correct style of address in German is Herr Bundeskanzler (male) or Frau Bundeskanzlerin (female). In international correspondence, the chancellor is referred to as "His/Her Excellency the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany" ("Seine/Ihre Exzellenz der Bundeskanzler/die Bundeskanzlerin der Bundesrepublik Deutschland").

Salary

Holding the third-highest state office available within Germany, the chancellor of Germany receives €220,000 per annum and a €22,000 bonus, i.e. one and two thirds of Salary Grade B11 (according to § 11 (1) a of the Federal Law on Ministers – Bundesministergesetz, BGBl. 1971 I p. 1166 and attachment IV to the Federal Law on Salaries of Officers – Bundesbesoldungsgesetz, BGBl. 2002 I p. 3020)

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Canciller de Alemania para niños

  • Vice-Chancellor of Germany
  • Leadership of East Germany
  • List of chancellors of Germany by time in office
  • Religious affiliations of chancellors of Germany
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