President of Germany facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany
Standard of the German President
Logo of the German President
Incumbent Frank-Walter Steinmeier since 19 March 2017
Style	Herr Bundespräsident (informal) His Excellency (diplomatic)
Residence	Schloss Bellevue (Berlin) Villa Hammerschmidt (Bonn)
Appointer	Federal Convention
Term length	5 years, renewable once consecutively
Constituting instrument	Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany
Precursor	The Reichspräsident
Inaugural holder	Theodor Heuss
Formation	24 May 1949; 76 years ago (1949-05-24)
Deputy	President of the German Bundesrat (Ex officio)
Salary	€254,000 annually

The President of Germany is the official head of state for the Federal Republic of Germany. This important role is officially called the Federal President of the Federal Republic of Germany (German: Bundespräsident der Bundesrepublik Deutschland).

The person currently holding this office is Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He was first chosen in 2017 and then re-elected in 2022. His second five-year term started on March 19, 2022.

Germany's government works as a parliamentary system. This means the Chancellor is the head of the government, similar to a prime minister. The President has a more ceremonial role. They are a figurehead, representing the country. However, the President also has duties to act politically. They can guide public discussions and have special "reserve powers" for times of political trouble. For example, they can use powers from Article 81 of the Basic Law. The President can also grant pardons for federal crimes. German presidents can serve two five-year terms. They have a lot of freedom in how they do their job.

According to Article 59 (1) of Germany's constitution, the Basic Law, the President represents Germany in international matters. They sign treaties with other countries and welcome diplomats. Also, all new federal laws must be signed by the President before they become active. Presidents can stop a law if they believe it goes against the constitution.

The President's actions and public appearances show the state itself. They represent its existence, fairness, and unity. At official events, the President ranks higher than the Chancellor. The President's job is to bring people together and make sure laws and the constitution are followed. It's a tradition, not a rule, that the President usually doesn't comment on daily news or political arguments. This distance helps the President be a clear voice. They can influence public talks, offer ideas, and give suggestions. To do this, they usually stay out of party politics.

How is the President Elected?

The President is chosen for a five-year term. The vote is secret and there are no debates. A special group called the Federal Convention elects the President. This group reflects the political balance in the Bundestag (Germany's parliament) and the parliaments of the 16 German states.

The Convention includes all members of the Bundestag. It also has an equal number of electors chosen by the state parliaments. These electors are picked based on the state's population. Since Germany reunited, all Federal Conventions have had over 1200 members. This is because the Bundestag has always had more than 600 members. State electors do not have to be members of the state parliament. Sometimes, well-known citizens are chosen.

The German constitution says the Convention must meet at least 30 days before the current President's term ends. If a President leaves office early, it must meet within 30 days after that. The President of the Bundestag organizes and leads this meeting. From 1979 to 2009, these meetings were always on May 23. This date is the anniversary of Germany's founding in 1949. But when Horst Köhler resigned in 2010, an early meeting was needed. This ended the tradition.

In the first two rounds of voting, a candidate needs more than half of all votes to win. If no one gets this many votes after two tries, there's a third and final vote. In this last round, the candidate with the most votes wins.

The election result often depends on political parties. Usually, the candidate from the main party or group in the Bundestag is expected to win. However, members of the Federal Convention vote secretly. They can vote against their party's choice. Because of this, some presidential elections have been very close. For example, in 1969, Gustav Heinemann won by only six votes on the third try. In 2010, Christian Wulff was expected to win easily. But he needed three tries to get enough votes. If opposition parties do well in state elections, they might have enough support to defeat the Chancellor's party's candidate. This happened in 1979 and 2004. So, presidential elections can sometimes hint at what will happen in a future general election. There's a saying in German politics: "if you can create a President, you can form a government."

Past Elections

Who Can Be President?

Anyone who can vote in Bundestag elections and is at least 40 years old can become President. However, no one can serve more than two five-year terms in a row. So far, only five presidents have been re-elected for a second term. Only two of them, Theodor Heuss and Richard von Weizsäcker, finished both terms. Heinrich Lübke and Horst Köhler resigned during their second terms. The President cannot be a member of the federal government or any parliament, either federal or state.

Taking the Oath

After becoming President, they must take an oath. This oath is in Article 56 of the Basic Law. It is taken in a joint meeting of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. This is the only time these two bodies must meet together by law. The President can choose to leave out the religious parts of the oath.

The oath says:

I swear that I will dedicate my efforts to the well-being of the German people, promote their welfare, protect them from harm, uphold and defend the Basic Law and the laws of the Federation, perform my duties conscientiously and do justice to all. (So help me God.)

German law says that taking the oath confirms the President's role, but it doesn't create it. This means the President doesn't have to take the oath the moment they start their job to use their powers. In reality, the oath is usually taken a few days or weeks after they start. This happens when it's convenient for both the Bundestag and Bundesrat to meet. If a President refused to take the oath, it could lead to them being removed from office. If a President is re-elected, they do not take the oath again.

What Does the President Do?

Bellevue Palace, Berlin (primary seat)

Hammerschmidt Villa, Bonn (secondary seat)

The President helps form the federal government and works closely with it. Generally, the President can act as they see fit. But, according to Article 58 of the German constitution, the President's orders usually need another signature. This signature comes from the Chancellor or the relevant federal minister. This rule helps make sure the government works together smoothly. It's like the system of checks and balances in other countries.

However, some actions do not need another signature. These are when the President suggests, appoints, or removes the Chancellor. Also, when they call or dissolve the Bundestag (parliament) under Article 63. Or when they declare a legislative state of emergency. They also don't need a signature to ask a Chancellor and ministers to stay in office until a new government is formed. Lastly, granting pardons is an exclusive power of the President.

The President meets regularly with the Chancellor to discuss current issues. They also meet with federal ministers and other high-ranking officials. The head of the President's office attends meetings of the Federal Cabinet. They report back to the President.

The President's main powers and duties include:

• Suggesting who should be Chancellor to the Bundestag.
• Appointing and removing the Chancellor and their cabinet ministers.
• Dissolving the Bundestag in certain situations.
• Declaring a legislative state of emergency in certain situations.
• Calling the Bundestag to meet.
• Signing and making laws official, or stopping them in certain cases.
• Appointing and removing federal judges, civil servants, and military officers.
• Using the power to pardon individuals for federal crimes.
• Giving out honors on behalf of Germany.
• Representing Germany at home and in other countries.

Appointing the Government

After an election or if the Chancellor's job becomes empty, the President suggests a person to the Bundestag to be elected Chancellor. The Bundestag then votes on this person. If the vote fails, the Bundestag has 14 days to choose another person. In both cases, if a candidate gets more than half of all votes from the Bundestag, the President must appoint them. This is called the "Chancellor majority."

If the Bundestag cannot elect anyone with a majority in 14 days, they have one final vote. If someone gets a majority in this vote, the President must appoint them. If no one gets a majority, the President has seven days. They can either appoint the person with the most votes or dissolve the Bundestag.

The Chancellor can only be removed if the Bundestag passes a "constructive vote of no confidence." This means they choose a new Chancellor who has the support of a majority. The President then must remove the old Chancellor and appoint the new one.

The President also appoints and removes other federal government members. This happens when the Chancellor suggests them. In theory, the President can only appoint people the Chancellor suggests. It's not clear if the President could refuse to remove or appoint a minister. No President has ever done this.

The constitution does not limit who can be Chancellor. In practice, the President only suggests someone who already has majority support. This usually happens after talks between political parties. However, after the "Jamaica coalition" talks failed in 2017, President Steinmeier invited party leaders. He tried to help them form a working government.

Other Appointments

The President appoints federal judges, federal civil servants, and military officers.

Dissolving the Bundestag

Unlike leaders in some other countries, the President cannot just dissolve the Bundestag on their own. The Bundestag also cannot dissolve itself. The President can only dissolve the Bundestag in two situations, both caused by the Bundestag's actions:

• If the Bundestag fails to elect a Chancellor within 14 days after an election or vacancy. After a final vote, if no one gets a majority, the President has seven days. They can either dissolve the Bundestag or appoint the person with the most votes as Chancellor.
• If the Chancellor asks for a vote of confidence and it fails. The Chancellor can then ask the President to dissolve the Bundestag. The President can do this within 21 days. This can also happen if a "constructive vote of no confidence" doesn't pass to replace the Chancellor. The Chancellor doesn't have to ask for a dissolution, and the President doesn't have to grant it.

The first situation has never happened. The second has been used to call early elections in 1972, 1983, 2005, and 2025. In these cases, the Chancellor asked their own party to vote against the confidence motion. This led to a dissolution. This strategy is debated, and some cases went to court. But it has been found lawful.

Making Laws Official

All federal laws must be signed by the President before they become active. The President can refuse to sign a law, which means they effectively stop it. In theory, the President has the power to stop any bill. However, past presidents have not used this power simply because they disagreed with a law. Usually, the President checks if the law was passed correctly according to the Constitution. They also check if the law's content is constitutional. Presidents have only refused to sign a law when they had serious doubts about whether it followed the constitution. It's important to know that the President can sign a "vetoed" bill later. This might happen if the Basic Law changes or if the bill is changed to address their concerns. Their first refusal to sign is not a final veto.

As of 2023, this has happened only nine times. No President has done it more than twice during their term:

• In 1951, Theodor Heuss stopped a tax bill. He believed it needed approval from the Bundesrat, which it didn't have.
• In 1961, Heinrich Lübke refused to sign a business law. He thought it violated the right to choose one's job freely.
• In 1969, Gustav Heinemann stopped the "Engineer Act." He believed this area of law belonged to the states, not the federal government.
• In 1970, Gustav Heinemann refused to sign the "Architects Act" for the same reason.
• In 1976, Walter Scheel stopped a bill about conscientious objection. He felt it needed the Bundesrat's consent, which it lacked.
• In 1991, Richard von Weizsäcker refused to sign a change to the "Air Traffic Act." He thought it was unconstitutional to privatize air traffic control. He signed it later after the Basic Law was changed.
• In 2006, Horst Köhler stopped a bill about flight control. He believed it was unconstitutional.
• Later that same year, Horst Köhler stopped the "Consumer Information Act" for the same reason.
• In 2020, Frank-Walter Steinmeier refused to sign the "Hate Speech Act." He had concerns about its constitutionality. He later signed it in April 2021 after it was changed.

Karl Carstens, Roman Herzog, Johannes Rau, Christian Wulff, and Joachim Gauck signed all bills during their time in office.

Foreign Relations

The President represents Germany to the world (Art. 59 Basic Law). They travel to other countries and welcome foreign leaders. They also sign treaties with other nations. These treaties only become active after the Bundestag approves them. The President also officially sends German diplomats abroad and receives diplomats from other countries.

Pardons and Honors

According to Article 60 (2) of the German Constitution, the President can grant pardons. This means the President can cancel or reduce punishments for individuals. However, the President cannot issue a general amnesty. An amnesty would forgive a whole group of offenses. That needs a law passed by the Bundestag and Bundesrat. Because Germany has a federal system, the President only handles certain federal criminal cases. These include spying and terrorism. They also handle disciplinary cases against federal civil servants, judges, and soldiers.

It is a tradition that the President becomes the honorary godparent of the seventh child in a family, if the parents wish. They also send congratulation letters to people turning 100 and to couples celebrating long-term marriages.

Legislative State of Emergency

Article 81 allows a law to be passed without the Bundestag's approval. This can happen if the Bundestag rejects a confidence motion. But it only happens if a new Chancellor is not elected and the Bundestag is not dissolved. In this case, the Chancellor can say a draft law is "urgent." If the Bundestag still doesn't approve it, the cabinet can ask the President to declare a "legislative state of emergency."

After the President declares this emergency, the Bundestag has four weeks to discuss the draft law. If they still don't approve it, the cabinet can ask the Federal Council for approval. Once the Federal Council agrees, the draft law becomes a real law.

There are limits to this "legislative state of emergency." After a President declares it for the first time, the government has only six months to use this process for other laws. It's unlikely the government could pass more than one other law this way.

Also, the emergency must be declared new for each law proposal. This means the six months is not a time when the government, President, and Federal Council simply replace the Bundestag. The Bundestag still has full power to pass laws during these six months. The state of emergency also ends if the Chancellor's term ends. During the same term and after the six months, the Chancellor cannot use Article 81 again.

A "legislative state of emergency" has never been declared. If there's a big disagreement between the Chancellor and the Bundestag, the Chancellor usually resigns. Or the Bundestag faces new elections. Article 81 is meant to help the government for a short time. It is not for long-term crises.

President's Role and Influence

Former President Joachim Gauck and his partner Daniela Schadt

Even though candidates are usually chosen by political parties, the President is expected to stop being an active party member after taking office. Every President so far, except Joachim Gauck (who was an independent), has paused their party membership. However, Presidents do speak publicly about their personal views on political matters. The fact that a President is expected to be above politics means that when they do speak out, it is considered very important. Sometimes, a President's speech has been a major topic in German politics for a year or more.

Special Powers

According to Article 81 of the German constitution, the President can declare a "Legislation Emergency." This allows the federal government and the Bundesrat to pass laws without the Bundestag's approval. The President also has important decision-making power. This includes appointing a Chancellor who won only by a small margin. They can also dissolve the Bundestag in certain situations.

It is also possible, though it has not happened since 1949, for the President to refuse to sign a law just because they disagree with its content. This would be like a veto. They could also refuse to approve a cabinet appointment. In all cases where a bill was not signed by the President, they said the bill was clearly unconstitutional. For example, in 2006, President Horst Köhler did this twice in three months. In some cases, a President has signed a law but asked that political parties take the case to the Federal Constitutional Court. This is to check if the law is constitutional.

Who Takes Over if the President Can't Serve?

Anke Rehlinger, the current President of the Bundesrat and Deputy of the President of Germany

The Basic Law does not have a Vice President. Instead, the President of the Bundesrat acts as the deputy. By tradition, this person is the head of government of one of Germany's 16 states. They are chosen by the Bundesrat in a set order each year. If the President's office becomes empty, the President of the Bundesrat takes over. They act as President until a new one is elected. While acting as President, they do not continue to lead the Bundesrat. If the President cannot do their job temporarily (for example, if they are on a state visit), they can ask the President of the Bundesrat to take over some or all of their duties. For instance, in November 2022, Peter Tschentscher, then President of the Bundesrat, filled in for President Steinmeier during a trip to Asia.

If the President dies, resigns, or is removed from office, a new President must be elected within 30 days. When Horst Köhler resigned on May 31, 2010, he was the first President to cause this re-election process. Jens Böhrnsen, who was the President of the Bundesrat at the time, became Acting President. Similarly, when Christian Wulff resigned in 2012, Horst Seehofer, then President of the Bundesrat, became Acting President. However, when Heinrich Lübke announced his resignation in 1968, it only took effect the next year. This was just three months before his term was supposed to end, and after his successor was already elected. In 1949, Karl Arnold, then President of the Bundesrat, also acted as head of state for a few days. This was after the Basic Law started, but before the first President of Germany was elected.

None of these three Bundesrat Presidents who acted as President used the more important powers of the President. For example, they did not stop a law or dissolve the Bundestag. But they would have been allowed to, under the same rules as the President.

Removing the President

While in office, the President is protected from being sued or charged with crimes. They also cannot be voted out of office by the public. The only way to remove the President is through impeachment. This happens if the Bundestag or Bundesrat accuses them of purposely breaking German law. Two-thirds of the members in either body must agree to impeach. Once the President is impeached, the Federal Constitutional Court decides if they are guilty. If the court finds them guilty, it can remove the President from office.

President's Office and Symbols

Where the President Works and Lives

Ceremonial office in Bellevue Palace

The President's main official residence is Bellevue Palace in Berlin. Their second official residence is the Hammerschmidt Villa in Bonn. Bonn used to be the capital city of West Germany.

Even though these are official residences, the President does not live in Bellevue Palace. It is only used for official events and as an office. The President and their spouse live in a villa in Dahlem, a part of Berlin.

The Office of the President (Bundespräsidialamt) is a top federal authority. It organizes the President's work and helps them with their duties as head of state. It also helps them work with other parts of the German government. The most senior official there is the Head of the Office of the President.

This office and its staff advise the President. They keep the President informed about events in Germany and other countries. They also carry out the President's instructions or pass them on to the right government department.

How the President Travels

Airbus A340 aircraft used by the president

The President's car is usually black and made in Germany. It has the license plate "0 – 1" and the President's flag on the right side. The President also uses a special helicopter run by the Federal Police. For air travel, they use VIP aircraft like the Bombardier Global 5000 or Airbus A319CJ. These are operated by the German Air Force. When the President is on board, the flight's callsign is "German Airforce 001."

Presidential Standard

History of the German Presidency

The current position of the German President is very different from the Reich President of the Weimar Republic. That older position had much more power and was a key figure in politics.

Weimar Republic (1919–1934)

The job of President of Germany was first created by the Weimar Constitution. This constitution was written after World War I and the Emperor Wilhelm II left power in 1918. In Germany, the new head of state was called the Reichspräsident.

Friedrich Ebert was Germany's first President. He was followed by Paul von Hindenburg. The office effectively ended when Hindenburg died in 1934. His powers were then combined with those of the Chancellor. Adolf Hitler ruled Germany as "Führer und Reichskanzler" (Leader and Chancellor). He combined his party and government roles. However, he did not officially become President. The office was not removed, though presidential elections did not happen during the Nazi era. It was briefly brought back at the end of World War II. Hitler named Grand Admiral Karl Dönitz as his successor as "President of Germany." Dönitz agreed to surrender to the Allies and was arrested a few days later.

The Weimar Constitution created a semi-presidential system. Power was shared between the President, a cabinet, and the parliament. The President had much more power than the current President. They played an active political role, not just a ceremonial one. The President's influence grew a lot because of the unstable times during the Weimar period. The President appointed the Chancellor. They also appointed and removed cabinet members based on the Chancellor's suggestion. The cabinet also needed the trust of the Reichstag (parliament). This was because the Reichstag could remove them with a vote of no confidence. All laws needed the President's signature to become active. While the President could not completely stop a law, they could insist it be put to a public vote. The President could dissolve the Reichstag, handle foreign affairs, and command the armed forces. Article 48 gave the President wide powers in a crisis. If there was a threat to "public order and security," they could suspend civil rights and make laws by decree. This needed the Chancellor's co-signature.

The Weimar constitution said the President would be directly elected for a seven-year term. The election used a two-round system. The first President was elected by the National Assembly. After that, only two direct presidential elections happened. These were the elections of Paul von Hindenburg in 1925 and his re-election in 1932.

The system created by the Weimar Constitution led to some problems. The way elections were done, with proportional representation and no minimum vote needed, allowed many political parties to form. This made it hard for any party to create stable governments. This led to frequent changes in government. In March 1930, no strong majority could be formed. President Hindenburg then appointed Heinrich Brüning as Chancellor. He said Brüning's cabinet should be formed "without regard to coalition ties." Brüning's time in office began a period of ruling by decree. This marked the three presidential cabinets before Adolf Hitler became Chancellor.

East Germany (1949–1960)

The German Democratic Republic (East Germany) created the job of head of state in 1949. This person was called the President of the Republic. But after the first President, Wilhelm Pieck, died in 1960, they got rid of the office. Instead, they had a group of leaders called the State Council. This was like the system in the Soviet Union. All government jobs, including the presidency, were chosen by the ruling Socialist Unity Party of Germany. This was approved by the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. After communist rule ended in the "Peaceful Revolution," the head of state became the parliamentary speaker. New, fair elections were held in 1990. Later that year, a new constitution was planned that would have brought back the presidency. But this never happened.

West Germany (1949–1990)

When the Grundgesetz (Basic Law) was made in 1949, the office of President of the Federal Republic (Bundespräsident) was created in West Germany. The powers of this office were greatly reduced. This was partly because of how presidential powers were misused in the Weimar Republic. The real power was given to the Chancellor. The President is not directly elected by the people.

When Germany reunited in 1990, the five East German states joined the Federal Republic. So, the President became the President of all German states. A new presidential office was not created.

List of Presidents

Twelve people have served as President of the Federal Republic of Germany. Six were members of the CDU. Three were members of the SPD. Two were members of the FDP. One was an independent.

Four presidents were ministers in the federal government before becoming President. Three were heads of state governments. Two were members of the Bundestag. One was president of the Federal Constitutional Court. One was director of the IMF. One was Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records.

Only five presidents have been re-elected for a second five-year term. Only two of them, Theodor Heuss and Richard von Weizsäcker, served the full ten years. Christian Wulff served the shortest time, just over 1 year and 7 months.

The President is supported by the President of the Bundesrat (according to Art. 57 GG). This person can do any of the President's duties if the President cannot. This often happens during state visits. If the Presidency becomes empty, they become acting President. A new President must be elected within 30 days. This has happened three times:

• In 1949, Karl Arnold acted as President. This was after the Grundgesetz started on September 7, 1949, and before Theodor Heuss was elected on September 12, 1949.
• In 2010, Jens Böhrnsen acted as President. This was after Horst Köhler resigned and before Christian Wulff was elected.
• In 2012, Horst Seehofer acted as President. This was after Christian Wulff resigned and before Joachim Gauck was elected.

List of presidents of Germany from 1949 – till date.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term	Party		Election	Deputies (Presidents of the Bundesrat)
President of the Bundesrat Karl Arnold acted as President from 7 to 12 September 1949.
1		Theodor Heuss (1884–1963)	12 September 1949 – 12 September 1959		FDP	1949	Karl Arnold (1949–1950) Hans Ehard (1950–1951) Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf (1951–1952) Reinhold Maier (1952–1953) Georg August Zinn (1953–1954) Peter Altmeier (1954–1955) Kai-Uwe von Hassel (1955–1956) Kurt Sieveking (1956–1957) Willy Brandt (1957–1958) Wilhelm Kaisen (1958–1959)
						1954
2		Heinrich Lübke (1894–1972)	13 September 1959 – 30 June 1969		CDU	1959	Wilhelm Kaisen (1959) Franz Josef Röder (1959–1960) Franz Meyers (1960–1961) Hans Ehard (1961–1962) Kurt Georg Kiesinger (1962–1963) Georg Diederichs (1963–1964) Georg August Zinn (1964–1965) Peter Altmeier (1965–1966) Helmut Lemke (1966–1967) Klaus Schütz (1967–1968) Herbert Weichmann (1968–1969)
						1964
3		Gustav Heinemann (1899–1976)	1 July 1969 – 30 June 1974		SPD	1969	Herbert Weichmann (1969) Franz Josef Röder (1969–1970) Hans Koschnick (1970–1971) Heinz Kühn (1971–1972) Alfons Goppel (1972–1973) Hans Filbinger (1973–1974)
4		Walter Scheel (1919–2016)	1 July 1974 – 30 June 1979		FDP	1974	Hans Filbinger (1974) Alfred Kubel (1974–1975) Albert Osswald (1975–1976) Bernhard Vogel (1976–1977) Gerhard Stoltenberg (1977–1978) Dietrich Stobbe (1978–1979)
5		Karl Carstens (1914–1992)	1 July 1979 – 30 June 1984		CDU	1979	Dietrich Stobbe (1979) Hans-Ulrich Klose (1979–1980) Werner Zeyer (1980–1981) Hans Koschnick (1981–1982) Johannes Rau (1982–1983) Franz Josef Strauß (1983–1984)
6		Richard von Weizsäcker (1920–2015)	1 July 1984 – 30 June 1994		CDU	1984	Franz Josef Strauß (1984) Lothar Späth (1984–1985) Ernst Albrecht (1985–1986) Holger Börner (1986–1987) Walter Wallmann (1987) Bernhard Vogel (1987–1988) Björn Engholm (1988–1989) Walter Momper (1989–1990) Henning Voscherau (1990–1991) Alfred Gomolka (1991–1992) Berndt Seite (1992) Oskar Lafontaine (1992–1993) Klaus Wedemeier (1993–1994)
						1989
7		Roman Herzog (1934–2017)	1 July 1994 – 30 June 1999		CDU	1994	Klaus Wedemeier (1994) Johannes Rau (1994–1995) Edmund Stoiber (1995–1996) Erwin Teufel (1996–1997) Gerhard Schröder (1997–1998) Hans Eichel (1998–1999) Roland Koch (1999)
8		Johannes Rau (1931–2006)	1 July 1999 – 30 June 2004		SPD	1999	Roland Koch (1999) Kurt Biedenkopf (1999–2000) Kurt Beck (2000–2001) Klaus Wowereit (2001–2002) Wolfgang Böhmer (2002–2003) Dieter Althaus (2003–2004)
9		Horst Köhler (b. 1943)	1 July 2004 – 31 May 2010		CDU	2004	Dieter Althaus (2004) Matthias Platzeck (2004–2005) Peter Harry Carstensen (2005–2006) Harald Ringstorff (2006–2007) Ole von Beust (2007–2008) Peter Müller (2008–2009) Jens Böhrnsen (2009–2010)
						2009
President of the Bundesrat Jens Böhrnsen acted as President from 31 May to 30 June 2010.
10		Christian Wulff (b. 1959)	30 June 2010 – 17 February 2012		CDU	2010	Jens Böhrnsen (2010) Hannelore Kraft (2010–2011) Horst Seehofer (2011–2012)
President of the Bundesrat Horst Seehofer acted as President from 17 February to 18 March 2012.
11		Joachim Gauck (b. 1940)	18 March 2012 – 18 March 2017		Independent	2012	Horst Seehofer (2012) Winfried Kretschmann (2012–2013) Stephan Weil (2013–2014) Volker Bouffier (2014–2015) Stanislaw Tillich (2015–2016) Malu Dreyer (2016–2017)
12		Frank-Walter Steinmeier (b. 1956)	19 March 2017 – Incumbent		SPD	2017	Malu Dreyer (2017) Michael Müller (2017–2018) Daniel Günther (2018–2019) Dietmar Woidke (2019–2020) Reiner Haseloff (2020–2021) Bodo Ramelow (2021–2022) Peter Tschentscher (2022–2023) Manuela Schwesig (2023–2024) Anke Rehlinger (Incumbent)
						2022

See also

In Spanish: Presidente de Alemania para niños

• President of Germany (1919–1945)