Bundeskanzler

Bundeskanzler is the title of the head of government of the Federal Republic of Germany. The office, established by the Basic Law of 1949 and continued after German reunification, leads the federal cabinet and is the principal architect of national policy. The Chancellor is not the head of state; that role belongs to the Federal President, who represents Germany in foreign affairs and performs ceremonial duties.

The Chancellor is elected by the Bundestag, the federal parliament, by an absolute majority. The candidate is usually proposed by the Federal President after consultations with parliamentary groups. After election, the President formally appoints the Chancellor and the cabinet. The Chancellor chairs cabinet meetings and determines the general policy guidelines (Richtlinienkompetenz), directing the government’s agenda and coordinating policy through the Bundeskanzleramt (Chancellery).

The Chancellor remains in office as long as the Bundestag maintains confidence. The parliament can remove a Chancellor through a constructive vote of no confidence, which requires the election of a successor. The President may also dismiss the Chancellor in certain circumstances or upon the Chancellor’s resignation. In practice, the tenure tends to align with the parliamentary term, typically four years, though it is not fixed and can end earlier due to elections, coalition changes, or political shifts.

Notable as a central figure in German politics, the Chancellor often leads the party or coalition able to form a government. The term is used similarly in other German-speaking countries, notably Austria, where the Bundeskanzler serves as the head of government.