Chancellor of Germany

The chancellor of Germany, officially the federal chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, is the head of the federal government of Germany. This important person leads the government and makes big decisions for the country. The chancellor is chosen by the Bundestag, which is like Germany's parliament, after the federal president suggests who should be chancellor.

Right now, the chancellor is Friedrich Merz from the Christian Democratic Union. He started his job on 6 May 2025. Before him, nine men and one woman served as chancellor since 1949. The first one was Konrad Adenauer, who led from 1949 to 1963. If Germany ever faces a serious danger, called a state of defence, the chancellor also becomes the leader of the country's army, the Bundeswehr.

History of the office (pre-1949)

The role of the chancellor in Germany has a long history, going back to the Holy Roman Empire around the year 900. Originally, the chancellor was the head of the church leaders at the emperor's chapel. Over time, this role grew in importance.

In 1559, Emperor Ferdinand I set up an imperial chancellery in Vienna, led by a vice chancellor. Later, during the time of Emperor Ferdinand II, a new role of court chancellor was created for the Archduchy of Austria to handle internal and foreign affairs.

The modern role of chancellor began in 1867 with the North German Confederation, formed after Prussia's victory in the Austro-Prussian War. Otto von Bismarck became the first chancellor of this new confederation. In 1871, it evolved into the German Empire, and the chancellor's role continued through changes in government until today.

The chancellor's powers have changed over time. In the early days, the chancellor worked closely with the emperor and had limited powers. Later, especially after World War I, the chancellor had to work with the parliament and often needed support from multiple political parties.

Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany (1949–present)

The Basic Law, Germany's constitution from 1949, gives the chancellor big powers to guide the government's work. Because of this, some people call Germany's system a "chancellor democracy." Even though the chancellor is one of the most powerful leaders in Germany, they are not the top leader. The top leader is the president of Germany, and next is the president of the Bundestag.

Big political parties, like CDU or SPD, choose their top candidate for elections and call them "chancellor-candidate." The government includes the chancellor and other leaders called cabinet ministers.

The chancellor's job comes mostly from the Basic Law, but they also get power because they lead the party or group of parties that have the most seats in the Bundestag, Germany's parliament. The first chancellor, Konrad Adenauer, set many rules that we still use today. He made sure the chancellor was the main focus of power in Germany. Even though later chancellors were less strict, the chancellor still has enough power that Germany is often called a "chancellor democracy."

The chancellor decides who will be in the Federal Cabinet. The president officially chooses and removes cabinet ministers based on the chancellor's advice. The chancellor can decide how many ministers there are and what jobs they have. For example, Ludwig Erhard had 22 ministers in the 1960s, while Angela Merkel had 15 in 2005.

List of chancellors (present)

For a list of all office-holders, see List of chancellors of Germany.

Political party:   CDU   SPD

Election

The chancellor is chosen by the Bundestag and then officially appointed by the president. This can happen in two ways: a regular election or a special vote called a constructive vote of no confidence. A regular election is needed when the chancellor's job becomes open, like when a new Bundestag starts or if the old chancellor leaves.

The election has three steps. First, the president suggests a candidate, and the Bundestag votes without talking. If they agree, the president appoints them. If not, the Bundestag can suggest new candidates for two weeks. If no one is chosen after two weeks, there is one last vote. If still no one wins, the president can choose the candidate with the most votes or call new elections.

Confidence

The chancellor needs the support of the Bundestag. The Bundestag can only remove a chancellor by choosing a new one at the same time. This has happened only once. The chancellor can also ask the Bundestag to show they still support them. If they lose, the chancellor can ask for new elections or special powers to pass laws without the Bundestag for six months.

Vice chancellor

The chancellor must choose one cabinet minister to be vice chancellor. The vice chancellor helps if the chancellor cannot do their job. If the chancellor leaves office, the Bundestag chooses a new one. Sometimes the president asks the old chancellor to stay until a new one is chosen, or they can choose the vice chancellor to lead temporarily.

Official residence

Since 2001, the chancellor's main office is the Federal Chancellery in Berlin. There are also offices in Bonn and a country home in Schloss Meseberg in Brandenburg.

Style of address

People address the chancellor as Herr Bundeskanzler for men or Frau Bundeskanzlerin for women. In formal letters, they are called "His/Her Excellency the Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany."

Salary

The chancellor is paid €220,000 each year, plus a extra €22,000 bonus. This is because the job is the third most important in Germany.