CHANCELLOR OF GERMANY

The head of government of Germany is called 'Chancellor' (German: ''Kanzler''). In German politics the position is somewhat equivalent to that of a Prime Minister in other countries. At various points in time, the full term has been 'Imperial Chancellor' (''Reichskanzler'') or 'Federal Chancellor' (''Bundeskanzler''). The latter term is current.
The current Chancellor of Germany is Angela Merkel, who was elected in 2005. In addition to being the eighth ''Bundeskanzler'' of the current republic, she is also the first ''Bundeskanzlerin'', or female Chancellor.

Contents

History of position

Style of address

''Bundeskanzler'' (North German Confederation 1867–1871)

''Reichskanzler'' (1871–1945)

Chancellors of the German Empire (1871–1919)

Revolutionary period 1918/19

Chancellors of the Weimar Republic (1919–1933)

Chancellors of the Third Reich (1933–1945)

''Bundeskanzler'' of the Federal Republic of Germany (since 1949)

Appointment mechanism

Votes of no-confidence

The chancellor's role

Living ex-chancellors

List of Chancellors since 1949

See also

Further reading

Books

Articles

External links

History of position

Due to his administrative tasks, the head of the chapel of the imperial palace during the Holy Roman Empire was called Chancellor. The Archbishop of Mainz was German Chancellor until the end of the Holy Roman Empire in 1806 while the Archbishop of Cologne was Chancellor of Italy and the Archbishop of Trier of Burgundy. These three Archbishops were also Prince-electors of the empire. Already in medieval times the Chancellor had political power like Willigis of Mainz (Archchancellor 975–1011, regent for Otto III 991–994) or Rainald von Dassel (Chancellor 1156–1162 and 1166–1167) under Frederick I.
From 1867 to 1871 the title ''Bundeskanzler'' (federal chancellor) was used in the German language, during the time of the North German Confederation. From 1871 to 1945, the office was named ''Reichskanzler'' (imperial chancellor). Since 1949 the formal title of the office in the German language has been ''Bundeskanzler'' again.
In the now defunct German Democratic Republic (GDR, East Germany), which existed from 1949 to its accession to the Federal Republic of Germany in 1990, there was no position of Chancellor. See Leaders of East Germany.

Style of address

The correct style of address in German is ''Herr Bundeskanzler'' or ''Frau Bundeskanzlerin''. When the office was called ''Reichskanzler'', the official incumbent of the office was to be addressed as "Herr Reichskanzler". This also applied to former chancellors. When addressing former Chancellor Helmut Kohl, the current Chancellor Angela Merkel used the style "Werter Herr Bundeskanzler" (Dear Mr Federal Chancellor).
:''See the article Chancellor for the etymology of the word.''

''Bundeskanzler'' (North German Confederation 1867–1871)

The head of the federal government of the North German Confederation, which was created in 1867, had the title ''Bundeskanzler''. The position was held by the Prussian Minister-President Otto von Bismarck, until German unification under the German Empire in 1871.

''Reichskanzler'' (1871–1945)

Before World War II, the title in Germany was ''Reichskanzler'' . In the 1871 German Empire, the Chancellor served both as the Emperor's first minister, and as presiding officer of the Bundesrat, the upper chamber of the German parliament. He was neither elected by nor responsible to Parliament (the ''Reichstag''). Instead, the Chancellor was appointed by the Emperor.
This was only changed on October 29, 1918, with an amendment to the 1871 constitution. However, the change could not prevent the outbreak of the revolution a few days later. The new constitution of the 1919 Weimar Republic said that the Chancellor was appointed by the German President, but that the parliament had the right to dismiss a chancellor or any of the ministers. In fact many of the Weimar governments depended highly on the cooperation of the President, due to uncertain circumstances in the parliament.

Chancellors of the German Empire (1871–1919)

	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
1	Prince Otto von Bismarck	March 21, 1871	March 20, 1890
2	Count Leo von Caprivi	March 20, 1890	October 26, 1894
3	Prince Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst	October 29, 1894	October 17, 1900
4	Prince Bernhard von Bülow	October 17, 1900	July 14, 1909
5	Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg	July 14, 1909	July 13, 1917
6	Georg Michaelis	July 14, 1917	November 1, 1917
7	Count Georg von Hertling	November 1, 1917	September 30, 1918
8	Prince Maximilian of Baden	October 3, 1918	November 9, 1918
9	Friedrich Ebert	November 9, 1918	November 11, 1919	Social Democrats

Revolutionary period 1918/19

On November 9, 1918, Chancellor Max von Baden handed over his office to Friedrich Ebert. Ebert continued to serve as Head of Government during the three months between the end of the German Empire in November 1918 and the first gathering of the National Assembly in February 1919, but did not use the title of Chancellor.
During that time, Ebert also served as Chairman of the ''Council of the People's Delegates'', until December 29, 1918 together with the Independent Social Democrat Hugo Haase.

Chancellors of the Weimar Republic (1919–1933)

	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
1	Philipp Scheidemann ''(Reichsministerpräsident)''	February 13, 1919	June 20, 1919	Social Democrats
2	Gustav Bauer ''(Reichskanzler since August 14)''	June 21, 1919	March 26, 1920	Social Democrats
3	Hermann Müller ''(1st term)''	March 27, 1920	June 8, 1920	Social Democrats
4	Konstantin Fehrenbach	June 25, 1920	May 4, 1921	Centre
5	Joseph Wirth	May 10, 1921	November 14, 1922	Centre
6	Wilhelm Cuno	November 22, 1922	August 12, 1923
7	Gustav Stresemann	August 13, 1923	November 30, 1923	German People's Party
8	Wilhelm Marx ''(1st term)''	November 30, 1923	January 15, 1925	Centre
9	Hans Luther	January 15, 1925	May 12, 1926
10	Wilhelm Marx ''(2nd term)''	May 17, 1926	June 12, 1928	Centre
11	Hermann Müller ''(2nd term)''	June 28, 1928	March 27, 1930	Social Democrats
12	Heinrich Brüning	March 30, 1930	May 30, 1932	Centre
13	Franz von Papen	June 1, 1932	November 17, 1932
14	Kurt von Schleicher	December 2, 1932	January 28, 1933

Chancellors of the Third Reich (1933–1945)

	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
1	Adolf Hitler ''("Führer (leader) and Chancellor" from 1934)''	January 30, 1933	April 30, 1945	National Socialists
2	Dr. Joseph Goebbels ''(appointed by Hitler, served as Chancellor for one day and only act was to call for a ceasefire with the Soviets.)''	April 30, 1945	May 1, 1945	National Socialists
3	Lutz Graf Schwerin von Krosigk (''Chancellor of the Flensburg government'')	May 2, 1945	May 8, or May 23, or July 5 1945	None

''Bundeskanzler'' of the Federal Republic of Germany (since 1949)

West Germany's 1949 constitution, the Basic Law (''Grundgesetz''), invests the Chancellor (''Bundeskanzler'') with central executive authority. For that reason, some observers refer to the German political system as a "chancellor democracy". The major party (CDU/CSU or SPD) who does not hold chancellorship, usually calls their leading candidate for the federal election "chancellor-candidate" (''Kanzlerkandidat''). The Federal Government (''Bundesregierung'') consists of the chancellor and his or her cabinet ministers.

The chancellor's authority emanates from the provisions of the Basic Law and from his or her 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, the chancellor has usually also been chairman of his or her own party. This was the case with Chancellor Gerhard Schröder from 1999 until he resigned the chairmanship of the SPD in 2004.
The German post-war chancellors were officially addressed as "Herr Bundeskanzler", however Angela Merkel is officially addressed as "Frau Bundeskanzlerin", the female form of the title. Also the mixed form "Frau Bundeskanzler" is used often; this is allowed by German grammar, as it regards "Bundeskanzler" as a ''generic masculine'', referring to a grammatical use of the male form when describing a group containing both sexes.

Appointment mechanism

Every four years, after national elections and the convocation of the newly elected members of the ''Bundestag'', the chancellor is elected by a majority of the members of the ''Bundestag'' upon the proposal of the President (''Bundespräsident''). This vote is one of the few cases where a majority of all elected members of the ''Bundestag'' must be achieved, as opposed to a mere majority of those that are currently assembled. This is referred to as the ''Kanzlermehrheit'' (chancellor's majority), and is designed to ensure the establishment of a stable government. It has in the past occasionally forced ill or pregnant members to have to attend parliament when a party's majority was only slim.
Unlike regular voting by the ''Bundestag'', the vote to elect the chancellor is by secret ballot. This is intended to ensure that the chancellor's majority does not depend on members of his party only outwardly showing support.
If the nominee of the President is not elected, the ''Bundestag'' may elect its own nominee within fourteen days. If no-one is elected within this period, the ''Bundestag'' will attempt an election. If the person with the highest number of votes has a majority, the President must appoint him or her . If the person with the highest number of votes does not have a majority, the President may either appoint them or call new elections for the ''Bundestag''.
The chancellor is the only member of the federal government elected by the ''Bundestag''. The other cabinet ministers are chosen by the chancellor himself or herself, although they are formally appointed by the President on the chancellor's proposal.

Votes of no-confidence

:''For more details, see Constructive Vote of No Confidence''.
Unlike in other parliamentary legislatures, the ''Bundestag'' cannot remove the chancellor simply with a Motion of No Confidence. Instead, the early removal of a chancellor is only possible when it simultaneously agrees on a successor. In order to garner legislative support in the ''Bundestag'', the chancellor can also call for a regular Motion of Confidence, either combined with a legislative proposal or as a standalone vote. Only if such a vote fails may the President dissolve the ''Bundestag''.
This procedure exists to avoid the situation that existed in the Weimar Republic, when votes of no-confidence were over-used or abused by parties.

The chancellor's role

The chancellor determines the composition of the Federal Cabinet. The President formally appoints and dismisses cabinet ministers, at 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 twenty-two 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 November 22, 2005 has 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. 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.

Living ex-chancellors

★ Helmut Schmidt

★ Helmut Kohl

★ Gerhard Schröder

List of Chancellors since 1949

	Name	Took Office	Left Office	Party
1	Dr. Konrad Adenauer	September 15, 1949	October 16, 1963	Christian Democrats
2	Dr. Ludwig Erhard	October 16, 1963	December 1, 1966	Christian Democrats
3	Dr. Kurt Georg Kiesinger	December 1, 1966	October 21, 1969	Christian Democrats
4	Willy Brandt	October 21, 1969	May 7, 1974	Social Democrats
	Vice Chancellor Walter Scheel ''(acting1)''	May 7, 1974	May 16, 1974	Free Democrats
5	Helmut Schmidt	May 16, 1974	October 1, 1982	Social Democrats
6	Dr. Helmut Kohl	October 1, 1982	October 27, 1998	Christian Democrats
7	Gerhard Schröder	October 27, 1998	November 22, 2005	Social Democrats
8	Dr. Angela Merkel	November 22, 2005	-	Christian Democrats

1: Willy Brandt asked the President not to be acting chancellor after his resignation so the vice chancellor Walter Scheel was acting chancellor for the time until Helmut Schmidt's election.

See also

★ Politics of Germany

★ History of Germany

★ President of Germany

★ Leaders of East Germany

★ List of German Chancellors by longevity

★ List of state leaders

Further reading

Books

★ Klein, Herbert, ed. 1993. ''The German Chancellors''. Berlin: Edition.

★ Padgett, Stephen, ed. 1994. ''The Development of the German Chancellorship: Adenauer to Kohl''. London: Hurst.

Articles

★ Harlen, Christine M. 2002. "The Leadership Styles of the German Chancellors: From Schmidt to Schröder." ''Politics and Policy'' 30 (2 (June)): 347–371.

★ Helms, Ludger. 2001. "The Changing Chancellorship: Resources and Constraints Revisited." ''German Politics'' 10 (2): 155–168.

★ Mayntz, Renate. 1980. "Executive Leadership in Germany: Dispersion of Power or 'Kanzler Demokratie'?" ''In Presidents and Prime Ministers'', ed. R. Rose and E. N. Suleiman. Washington, D.C: American Enterprise Institute. Pp. 139-71.

★ Smith, Gordon. 1991. "The Resources of a German Chancellor." ''West European Politics'' 14 (2): 48–61.

External links

★ Official site of German Chancellor (German and English)

★ Germany: Heads of Government: 1871–1945

★ Germany: Heads of Government: 1949–2005