Cabinet of Germany
Encyclopedia
The Cabinet of Germany is the chief executive body of the Federal Republic of Germany
. It consists of the Chancellor and the cabinet ministers. The fundamentals of the cabinet
's organization are set down in articles 62 to 69 of the Basic Law
.
) after being proposed by the President
. Following the election, the Chancellor is appointed by the President. The ministers are appointed (and dismissed) by the President upon proposal of the Chancellor. Eventually, before taking office, the Chancellor and ministers swear an oath
in front of the parliament.
The Chancellor is in charge of the government's administrative affairs, which are usually delegated to the head of the Chancellery
. Details are laid down in the government's rules for internal procedures (Geschäftsordnung). These state, e.g., that the cabinet is quorate only if at least half of the ministers including the chair are present. The cabinet regularly convenes Wednesday mornings in the Chancellery
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. It consists of the Chancellor and the cabinet ministers. The fundamentals of the cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
's organization are set down in articles 62 to 69 of the Basic Law
Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany
The Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany is the constitution of Germany. It was formally approved on 8 May 1949, and, with the signature of the Allies of World War II on 12 May, came into effect on 23 May, as the constitution of those states of West Germany that were initially included...
.
Nomination
The Chancellor is elected by the federal parliament (BundestagBundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
) after being proposed by the President
President of Germany
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany is the country's head of state. His official title in German is Bundespräsident . Germany has a parliamentary system of government and so the position of President is largely ceremonial...
. Following the election, the Chancellor is appointed by the President. The ministers are appointed (and dismissed) by the President upon proposal of the Chancellor. Eventually, before taking office, the Chancellor and ministers swear an oath
Oath of office
An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations...
in front of the parliament.
Functioning
The Chancellor is responsible for guiding the cabinet and deciding its political direction. According to the principle of departmentalization (Ressortprinzip), the cabinet ministers are free to carry out their duties independently within the boundaries set by the Chancellor's political directives. The Chancellor also decides the scope of each minister's duties. If two ministers disagree on a particular point, the cabinet resolves the conflict by a majority vote (Kollegialprinzip or principle of deference).The Chancellor is in charge of the government's administrative affairs, which are usually delegated to the head of the Chancellery
Federal Minister for Special Affairs of Germany
A Federal Minister for Special Affairs is a federal minister without portfolio of Germany.Currently, the title is commonly given to the head of the Chancellery to provide him with a vote in cabinet meetings...
. Details are laid down in the government's rules for internal procedures (Geschäftsordnung). These state, e.g., that the cabinet is quorate only if at least half of the ministers including the chair are present. The cabinet regularly convenes Wednesday mornings in the Chancellery
German Chancellery
The German Chancellery is a federal agency serving the executive office of the Chancellor, the head of the German federal government. The chief of the Chancellery holds the rank of either a Secretary of State or a Federal Minister ...
.
Present German cabinet
The current federal cabinet (in office since 28 October 2009), consists of the following ministers:| Office | Incumbent | Since | Party |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Chancellor | Angela Merkel Angela Merkel Angela Dorothea Merkel is the current Chancellor of Germany . Merkel, elected to the Bundestag from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, has been the chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union since 2000, and chairwoman of the CDU-CSU parliamentary coalition from 2002 to 2005.From 2005 to 2009 she led a... |
2005 | CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
| Federal Minister of Economics and Technology and Vice-Chancellor Vice-Chancellor of Germany The Vice-Chancellor of Germany is, according to protocol, the second highest position in the Cabinet of GermanyIn case of the Chancellor's absence, the vice-chancellor acts in his or her place, for instance by heading cabinet meetings... |
Philipp Rösler Philipp Rösler Philipp Rösler is a German politician, who, since 2011, has been the Federal Minister of Economics and Technology and the Vice Chancellor of Germany... |
2011 | FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany) The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government... |
| Federal Foreign Minister | Guido Westerwelle Guido Westerwelle Guido Westerwelle [] is a German liberal politician, who, since 28 October 2009, has been serving as the Foreign Minister in the second cabinet of Chancellor Angela Merkel, and who was Vice Chancellor of Germany from 2009 to 2011. He is the first openly gay person to hold either of those positions... |
2009 | FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany) The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government... |
| Federal Minister for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Federal Ministry for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (Germany) The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety, known by the initials BMU from the German name, Bundesministerium für Umwelt, Naturschutz und Reaktorsicherheit, is a ministry of the German federal government. Its headquarters are in Bonn, with a branch in... |
Norbert Röttgen | 2009 | CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
| Federal Minister of Defence Federal Ministry of Defence (Germany) The Federal Ministry of Defence is a top-level federal agency, headed by the Federal Minister of Defence as a member of the Cabinet of Germany... |
Thomas de Maizière Thomas de Maizière Karl Ernst Thomas de Maizière is a German politician , currently serving as the Minister of Defence in the Second Cabinet of Chancellor Angela Merkel.... |
2011 | CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
| Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth | Kristina Schröder | 2009 | CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
| Federal Minister for Special Tasks and Head of the Chancellery German Chancellery The German Chancellery is a federal agency serving the executive office of the Chancellor, the head of the German federal government. The chief of the Chancellery holds the rank of either a Secretary of State or a Federal Minister ... |
Ronald Pofalla Ronald Pofalla Ronald Pofalla is a German politician, currently serving as the Chief of Staff of the German Chancellery and a Federal Minister for Special Affairs in the Second Cabinet Merkel.... |
2009 | CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
| Federal Minister of the Interior Federal Ministry of the Interior (Germany) The Federal Ministry of the Interior is a ministry of the German federal government. Its main office is in Berlin, with a secondary seat in Bonn. The current minister of the interior is Dr... |
Hans-Peter Friedrich Hans-Peter Friedrich Hans-Peter Friedrich is a German politician, representative of the Christian Social Union . He has been a member of the Bundestag of Germany since 1998. In the ongoing coalition negotiations with the Free Democratic Party, Friedrich was responsible for the portfolio of housing and development... |
2011 | CSU |
| Federal Minister of Education and Research | Annette Schavan Annette Schavan ' is a German politician . She has been the Federal Minister of Education and Research since November 22, 2005.From 1995-2005, she served as the Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports of the German state of Baden-Württemberg... |
2005 | CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
| Federal Minister of Health Federal Ministry of Health (Germany) The Federal Ministry of Health, is a ministry of the German federal government... |
Daniel Bahr Daniel Bahr Daniel Bahr is a German politician and member of the FDP.He is the FDP's expert on health politics and was chairman of the party's youth organization, the Young Liberals, from 1999 to 2004.... |
2011 | FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany) The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government... |
| Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection | Ilse Aigner Ilse Aigner Ilse Aigner is a German politician and member of the Christian Social Union of Bavaria .Aigner was born in Feldkirchen-Westerham, Rosenheim, Bavaria and entered Angela Merkel's grand coalition cabinet as Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection on 31 October 2008... |
2008 | CSU |
| Federal Minister of Finance | Wolfgang Schäuble Wolfgang Schäuble Wolfgang Schäuble is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union , currently serving as the Federal Minister of Finance in the Second Cabinet Merkel.... |
2005 | CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
| Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs | Ursula von der Leyen Ursula von der Leyen Ursula Gertrud von der Leyen is a German politician of the conservative Christian Democratic Union.Since 30 November 2009, she has served as the Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs in the Second Cabinet Merkel. In the First Cabinet Merkel , she served as Federal Minister of Family... |
2009 | CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
| Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Development | Peter Ramsauer Peter Ramsauer Peter Ramsauer is a German politician. He is qualified as a professional miller in accordance with the traditional occupation of his ancestry while holding the degree of PhD in Management, is married and has four daughters... |
2009 | CSU |
| Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development | Dirk Niebel Dirk Niebel Dirk Niebel is a German politician. He is since 2009 Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation and Development. From 2005 to 2009, he was secretary general of the FDP.-Background:... |
2009 | FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany) The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government... |
| Federal Minister of Justice Federal Ministry of Justice (Germany) The Federal Ministry of Justice is a federal ministry in Germany.Under the federal system of Germany, individual states are most responsible for the administration of justice and the application of penalties. The Federal Ministry of Justice devotes itself to creating and changing law in the... |
Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger is a German politician of the pro-business Free Democratic Party. Within the FDP, she is a leading figure of the small social-liberal wing... |
2009 | FDP Free Democratic Party (Germany) The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government... |
See also
- List of ministers of the Federal Republic of Germany - an alphabetical list of former ministers
- MinisterratMinisterratThe Council of Ministers of the German Democratic Republic was the chief executive body of East Germany from November 1950 until the GDR was unified with the Federal Republic of Germany on 3 October 1990...
of the German Democratic RepublicGerman Democratic RepublicThe German Democratic Republic , informally called East Germany by West Germany and other countries, was a socialist state established in 1949 in the Soviet zone of occupied Germany, including East Berlin of the Allied-occupied capital city...