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At a glance

Federal Government

The Federal Chancellor and the federal ministers form the Federal Government, the cabinet.
Ernennungsurkunde Bundesregierung
© picture alliance/dpa

The Federal Chancellor Federal chancellor The Federal Chancellor is the only member of the Federal Government to be elected. The constitution empowers him to personally choose his ministers, who head the most important political authorities. Moreover it is the Chancellor who determines the number of ministries and their responsibilities… Read more › is the head of the Federal Government Federal Government The Federal Government and cabinet is made up of the Federal Chancellor and the Federal Ministers. While the Chancellor holds the power to issue directives, the ministers have departmental powers, meaning that they independently run their respective ministries in the framework of those directives… Read more › . Along with federal ministers, the Chancellor forms the Federal Government – the cabinet. While the Federal Chancellor holds responsibility for setting guidelines for policy, the principle of ministerial independence applies, where each minister runs their ministry independently within the framework of the policy guidelines. The principle of collect­ive responsibility also applies, according to which the Federal Government decides on disputed issues by majority vote. The Basic Law The Basic Law The Basic Law determines that Germany is a constitutional state: All state authorities are subject to judicial control. Section 1 of the Basic Law is of particular relevance. It stipulates that respect for human dignity is the most important aspect of the constitution: “Human dignity shall be… Read more › does not stipulate the number of ministers. Ministers may be replaced during the course of a legislative period.

Since the end of 2021, the Federal Cabinet has consisted of Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz, along with 15 ministers and the Head of the Chancellery. The Federal Ministries are the most senior federal authorities in each department. The Federal Chancellor sets the guidelines for policy and bears responsibility for them.

The federal capital Berlin Berlin Once a year, during the Berlinale film festival, the world of the silver screen focuses its attention on Berlin. And the city’s inhabitants are used to global interest. After all, the people of Berlin have lived in a capital city since 1458. However, there is also a shady side to the city’s history… Read more › is the seat of government. Bonn was the capital before German reunification in 1990. In June 1991 the Bundestag The Bundestag The Bundestag is made up of the elected representatives of the German people. In principle elections to the Bundestag are proportionally representative, with each party’s share of the vote in the election reflecting the number of seats it occupies in the parliament. But the electoral system also… Read more › decided that Berlin would become the seat of parliament and government. Nevertheless, six federal ministries kept their headquarters in Bonn, and all ministries have offices in both cities. Bonn, as the second political centre of the Federal Republic, also bears the name of the Federal City of Bonn.

Federal Ministries

Federal Ministry of Finance
bundesfinanzministerium.de

Federal Ministry of the Interior and Community
bmi.bund.de

Federal Foreign Office
diplo.de

Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action
bmwi.de

Federal Ministry of Justice
bmjv.de

Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
bmas.de

Federal Ministry of Defence
bmvg.de

Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture
bmel.de

Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens Senior citizens Senior citizens are not only growing older, but are healthier, fitter and more active than in the past. They are also economically better off: the over-60s hold almost a third of total purchasing power. The life style of the 50+ generation: almost one in two cares increasingly about fitness, health… Read more › , Women and Youth
bmfsfj.de

Federal Ministry of Health
bundesgesundheitsministerium.de

Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport
bmvi.de

Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation Nature conservation There are around 48,000 native animal species and over 24,000 native species of land plants, mosses, fungi, lichens and algae in Germany. Nature conservation is a state goal in the Federal Republic and is entrenched in Article 20a of the Basic Law. There are thousands of designated nature… Read more › , Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection
bmu.de

Federal Ministry of Education and Research 
bmbf.de

Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development
bmz.de

Federal Ministry of Building
bmwsb.bund.de