Bundesministerium

Bundesministerium is the term used for a federal ministry, the central executive authority of the German federal government. Each ministry is responsible for a specific policy area and is led by a Federal Minister (Bundesminister). In many ministries there is also a Parliamentary State Secretary (parlamentarischer Staatssekretär), who is a member of parliament and serves as a liaison to the Bundestag, and a senior civil servant known as the State Secretary (Staatssekretär), who oversees administration.

Ministries perform policy development, draft legislation, regulate and supervise federal agencies, and implement government programs within their remit. They coordinate cross-ministry tasks, represent Germany in international negotiations related to their field, and provide expert guidance to the government. They form part of the executive branch and report to the Chancellor, who chairs the federal cabinet.

Organizationally, ministries are divided into departments (Abteilungen) and units, led by department heads. The minister is politically accountable to the Bundestag, and the cabinet collectively shapes government policy. The Chancellor coordinates overall policy across ministries, often with support from the Federal Chancellery.

Examples of current federal ministries cover areas such as finance, interior, justice, health, education and research, economy and climate protection, transport and digital infrastructure, and environment and consumer protection, among others. The exact names and portfolios have evolved through reforms and reorganizations since the founding of the Federal Republic in 1949, reflecting changing administrative priorities and constitutional requirements.