Bundesministerin

Bundesministerin is the title for a female federal minister in the German-speaking countries that have a federal government, most notably Germany and Austria. It is the feminine form of Bundesminister, the male counterpart. A Bundesministerin heads a federal ministry and is a member of the Bundesregierung, the cabinet led by the Chancellor.

In Germany, federal ministers are appointed by the Federal President on the proposal of the Chancellor and serve at the Chancellor’s pleasure; they can be dismissed or reshuffled. The responsibilities of a Bundesministerin include setting policy within her ministry’s portfolio, drafting legislation or policy proposals, representing the ministry in cabinet meetings, and presenting the ministry’s plans and budget to the Bundestag, where she may be questioned and held to account.

The title is used in official and media contexts for any woman occupying such a office. The plural form is Bundesministerinnen when several women hold ministerial posts simultaneously.

In Austria, the term Bundesministerin is used similarly for female members of the federal cabinet. The appointment and accountability framework is analogous, with ministers responsible to the Nationalrat (the Austrian parliament) and serving under the Chancellor.

The feminine form reflects gender-inclusive language in government and is part of broader practice of using gendered titles in German politics. It contrasts with the masculine Bundesminister and with other gendered titles such as Bundeskanzlerin for the female head of government, illustrating how official designations adapt to gender in contemporary institutions.