Vice-Chancellor of Germany

The vice-chancellor of Germany, officially the deputy to the federal chancellor (Template:Langx), is the second highest ranking German cabinet member. The chancellor is the head of government and, according to the constitution, gives this title of deputy to one of the federal ministers. It is custom that the title is given to a minister of the largest coalition partner, since 1966 typically the foreign minister. Since 2011, the minister for economic affairs has held the title most often.

In everyday politics, being vice-chancellor is considered more of an honorary title. The vice-chancellor may head cabinet meetings when the chancellor is absent. The function of vice-chancellor is to use the specific constitutional powers of the chancellor in case that the chancellor is unable to perform their duties. This kind of substitution has never been made use of in the history of the Federal Republic. Should a chancellor resign, die or be permanently unable to perform the duties of office, the vice-chancellor does not automatically become the next chancellor. In such a case the Federal President assigns a minister to serve as acting chancellor until the Bundestag (parliament) elects a new chancellor.<ref>Ute Mager, in: von Münch/Kunig: Grundgesetz-Kommentar II, 5. Auflage 2001, Rn. 10/11 zu Art. 69.</ref>

Although Template:Lang is the constitutional term, vice-chancellor (Template:Lang) is used more commonly. Chancellor (Template:Lang) is the traditional term for the German head of government since 1867/71. A general deputy was introduced by law in 1878 (Template:Lang). In the Weimar Republic of 1919–1933, the office of Template:Lang was mentioned in the internal regulation of the government. The current title has existed since the constitution of 1949.

Lars Klingbeil (Social Democratic Party) is the current officeholder since 6 May 2025.

History

Template:Politics of Germany Such an office was initially established by the 1878 Template:Lang (Deputation Act), which provided for the imperial chancellor appointing a deputy, officially known as Template:Lang (General Deputy to the Imperial Chancellor). In addition to the general deputy, who could sign for all the affairs of the chancellor, the chancellor could appoint deputies with limited responsibilities. The act was revised on 28 October 1918, when the possibility of appointing deputies with limited responsibilities was removed and the vice-chancellor was given the right to appear before parliament.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In the Weimar Republic, the office was considered less important. It was not even mentioned in the constitution. Usually it was held by the minister of justice or the interior. The most known office holder is Franz von Papen, a former chancellor who formed a coalition government of national socialists and conservatives. Adolf Hitler became chancellor, and Papen vice-chancellor. It became soon obvious that the position of vice-chancellor provided no powers and was unsuited to constrain Hitler. Papen was convinced that him being trusted by president Hindenburg made him an important political player; soon, Hindenburg's trust went from Papen to Hitler.

In the Federal Republic (since 1949), the chancellors have had no interest in allowing the deputy to use the title for self-promotion.<ref>Roman Herzog, in: Maunz/Dürig: Kommentar zum Grundgesetz, 2008, Art. 69, Rn. 9.</ref> Since 1966 it became customary that the coalition partner of the governing party received the ministry of foreign affairs, who was also appointed deputy. The ministry of foreign affairs was considered to be the most important cabinet post besides the chancellorship. This tradition faded away during the tenure of Angela Merkel, partially because the leaders of her coalition partners chose a different ministry.

Office and appointment mechanism

The German cabinet consists of the chancellor and the federal ministers. According to the Basic Law (Article 69.1), the chancellor appoints one of the ministers as vice-chancellor. In contrast to the appointment of a cabinet minister, there is no need for a formal appointment by the president. The appointment is an exclusive power of the chancellor.

The chancellor is theoretically free to choose a deputy chancellor. In practice, a German government is usually based on a coalition of two or more parties and the chancellor gives the title to a minister of the second largest coalition party upon recommendation of that party's leadership.

The German vice-chancellor can be regarded as the equivalent of a deputy prime minister in other parliamentary systems. Unlike the vice president post in presidential systems of governments, the German vice-chancellor is not the automatic successor in the event that a sitting chancellor suddenly leaves office.

A German cabinet exists only as long as the current chancellor is in office. The end of a chancellor's term in office (either by death or resignation or the first meeting of a newly elected Bundestag) automatically terminates the office of any minister. If this happens, the president of Germany appoints the former chancellor or, if this is not possible, one of the former cabinet ministers (not necessarily, but most likely the former vice-chancellor) as acting chancellor, until the parliament elects a new chancellor.<ref>Georg Hermes, in: Horst Dreier (Hrsg.) Grundgesetz-Kommentar, Band 2, 2. Auflage 2006, Art. 69, Rn. 7, 17-19.</ref> When in 1974 Chancellor Willy Brandt resigned and refused to remain in office until his successor's election, President Gustav Heinemann ensured a corresponding precedent and appointed former vice-chancellor Walter Scheel as acting chancellor.

The Basic Law does not state who shall perform the chancellor's powers and duties, if both the chancellor and the vice-chancellor are unable to do so. The German cabinet's rules of procedure state that in absence of both office-holders cabinet meetings shall be chaired by a cabinet member designated for this purpose by either the chancellor or the vice-chancellor or, if such a designation has not taken place or if the designee is not able to do so, by the present cabinet member with the longest uninterrupted membership in the federal government (§22.1).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> It is however unclear, whether this provision extends to other powers of the office of chancellor. In an expertise issued by the Bundestag's scientific service in 2014, the legal opinion is that this is the case.<ref>Wissenschaftlicher Dienst des Bundestages. Sachstand. Vertretungsregelungen für das Amt des Bundeskanzlers und des Bundespräsidenten (AZ: WD 3-3000-016/14), p. 3–4.</ref>

List of vice-chancellors

German Reich (1871–1945)

German Empire (1871–1918)

Political party: Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2

Template:Abbr	Portrait	Name	Term start	Term end	Days	Party	Portfolio		Cabinet
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 1	File:Ottosw.jpg	Otto Graf zu Stolberg-Wernigerode Template:Small	1 June 1878	20 June 1881	Template:Age in days	FKP		style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Bismarck
rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Party color;" | 2	File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1981-127-06A, Karl-Heinrich von Boetticher.jpg	Karl Heinrich von Boetticher Template:Small	20 June 1881	1 July 1897	Template:Age in days	FKP	Secretary of State for the Interior	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Bismarck
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |								Caprivi
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |								Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color;" | 3	File:Nicola Perscheid - Arthur von Posadowsky-Wehner.jpg	Arthur von Posadowsky-Wehner Template:Small	1 July 1897	24 June 1907	Template:Age in days	FKP	Secretary of State for the Interior	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |								Bülow
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 4	File:Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg(cropped).jpg	Theobald von Bethmann Hollweg Template:Small	24 June 1907	14 July 1909	Template:Age in days	Independent	Secretary of State for the Interior	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Bülow
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 5	File:Delbrück, Clemens von (1856-1921).jpg	Clemens von Delbrück Template:Small	14 July 1909	22 May 1916	Template:Age in days	Independent	Secretary of State for the Interior	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Bethmann Hollweg
rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Party color;" | 7	File:Karl Helfferich.jpg	Karl Helfferich Template:Small	22 May 1916	9 November 1917	Template:Age in days	Independent	Secretary of State for the Interior Template:Small	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Bethmann Hollweg
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |								Michaelis
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |								Hertling
rowspan=3 style="background:Template:Party color;" | 8	File:Friedrich von Payer.jpg	Friedrich von Payer Template:Small	9 November 1917	10 November 1918	Template:Age in days	FVP		style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Hertling
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |								Baden
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |								Ebert

Weimar Republic (1918–1933)

Political party: Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2

Template:Abbr	Portrait	Name	Term start	Term end	Days	Party	Portfolio		Cabinet
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 1	File:Eugen Schiffer (1919).jpg	Eugen Schiffer Template:Small	13 February 1919	19 April 1919	Template:Age in days	DDP	Deputy Minister-President & Minister of Finance	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Scheidemann
The office was vacant from 19 April to 30 April 1919.
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 2	File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-12088, Bernhard Dernburg (cropped).jpg	Bernhard Dernburg Template:Small	30 April 1919	21 June 1919	Template:Age in days	DDP	Deputy Minister-President & Minister of Finance	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Scheidemann
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 3	File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1989-072-16, Matthias Erzberger.jpg	Matthias Erzberger Template:Small	21 June 1919	3 October 1919	Template:Age in days	Centre	Deputy Minister-President Template:Small & Minister of Finance	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Bauer
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 4 Template:Small	File:Eugen Schiffer (1919).jpg	Eugen Schiffer Template:Small	3 October 1919	27 March 1920	Template:Age in days	DDP	Minister of Justice	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Bauer
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 5	File:Erich Koch-Weser circa 1920 (cropped).jpg	Erich Koch-Weser Template:Small	27 March 1920	21 June 1920	Template:Age in days	DDP	Minister of the Interior	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Müller I
The office was vacant from 21 June to 25 June 1920.
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 6	File:Dr. Rudolf Heinze.jpg	Rudolf Heinze Template:Small	25 June 1920	10 May 1921	Template:Age in days	DVP	Minister of Justice	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Fehrenbach
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 7	File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-J0113-0500-001, Gustav Bauer.jpg	Gustav Bauer Template:Small	10 May 1921	22 November 1922	Template:Age in days	SPD	Minister of Finance	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Wirth I
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |								Wirth II
The office was vacant from 22 November 1922 to 13 August 1923.
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 8	File:Robert Schmidt (politician).jpg	Robert Schmidt Template:Small	13 August 1923	6 October 1923	Template:Age in days	SPD	Minister for Reconstruction	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Stresemann I
The office was vacant from 6 October to 30 November 1923.
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 9	File:Dr. Jarres LCCN2014716741 (cropped).jpg	Karl Jarres Template:Small	30 November 1923	15 December 1924	Template:Age in days	DVP	Minister of the Interior	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Marx I
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |								Marx II
The office was vacant from 15 December 1924 to 28 January 1927.
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 10	File:Oskar Hergt.jpg	Oskar Hergt Template:Small	28 January 1927	28 June 1928	Template:Age in days	DNVP	Minister of Justice	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Marx IV
The office was vacant from 28 June 1928 to 30 March 1930.
rowspan=2 style="background:Template:Party color;" | 11	File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-10015, Robert Hermann Dietrich (cropped).jpg	Hermann Dietrich Template:Small	30 March 1930	1 June 1932	Template:Age in days	DDP	Minister of Finance Template:Small	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Brüning I
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |								Brüning II
The office was vacant from 1 June 1932 to 30 January 1933.

Nazi Germany (1933–1945)

Template:Abbr	Portrait	Name	Term start	Term end	Days	Party	Portfolio	Other positions		Cabinet
The deputy to the chancellor of the Reich
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 12	File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-S00017, Franz von Papen crop.jpg	Franz von Papen Template:Small	30 January 1933	7 August 1934	Template:Age in days	Non-partisan		Minister President of Prussia Template:Small	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Hitler
From 7 August 1934 until 20 September 1949, the office of the vice-chancellor of Germany was abolished.

Federal Republic of Germany (1949–present)

Political party: Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2 Template:Legend2

Template:Abbr	Portrait	Name	Term start	Term end	Days	Party	Portfolio		Cabinet
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 1	File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-P001512, Franz Blücher 2.jpg	Franz Blücher Template:Small	20 September 1949	29 October 1957	Template:Age in days	FDP Template:Small FVP Template:Small DP Template:Small	Marshall Plan Template:Small	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Adenauer I • II
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 2	File:Einde bezoek bondskanselier dr Ludwig Erhard en gaf persconferentie in het Haag, Bestanddeelnr 916-1325 (cropped).jpg	Ludwig Erhard Template:Small	29 October 1957	16 October 1963	Template:Age in days	CDU	Economic Affairs	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Adenauer III • IV
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 3	File:Bundesarchiv Bild 183-87989-0060, Erich Mende.jpg	Erich Mende Template:Small	17 October 1963	28 October 1966	Template:Age in days	FDP	Intra-German Relations	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Erhard I • II
The office was vacant from 28 October to 8 November 1966.
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 4	File:Einweihung des Mosel-Schiffahrtsweges 1964, Seebohm-MK060 RGB (cropped).jpg	Hans-Christoph Seebohm Template:Small	8 November 1966	1 December 1966	Template:Age in days	CDU	Transport	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Erhard II
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 5	File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F057884-0009, Willy Brandt.jpg	Willy Brandt Template:Small	1 December 1966	22 October 1969	Template:Age in days	SPD	Foreign Affairs	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Kiesinger
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 6	File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1989-047-20, Walter Scheel.jpg	Walter Scheel Template:Small	22 October 1969	16 May 1974	Template:Age in days	FDP	Foreign Affairs	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Brandt I • II
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 7	File:Bundesarchiv FDP-Bundesparteitag, Genscher.jpg	Hans-Dietrich Genscher Template:Small Template:Small	17 May 1974	17 September 1982	Template:Age in days	FDP	Foreign Affairs	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Schmidt I • II • III
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 8	File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F048636-0022, Dortmund, SPD-Parteitag, Egon Franke (cropped).jpg	Egon Franke Template:Small	17 September 1982	1 October 1982	Template:Age in days	SPD	Intra-German Relations	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Schmidt III
The office was vacant from 1 October to 4 October 1982.
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 9 Template:Small	File:Hans-Dietrich Genscher (1989).jpg	Hans-Dietrich Genscher Template:Small Template:Small	4 October 1982	18 May 1992	Template:Age in days	FDP	Foreign Affairs	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Kohl I • II • III • IV
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 10	File:Jürgen Möllemann 2002 (cropped).jpeg	Jürgen Möllemann Template:Small	18 May 1992	21 January 1993	Template:Age in days	FDP	Economic Affairs	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Kohl IV
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 11	File:Bundesarchiv B 145 Bild-F063645-0024, Pullach, Besuch Carstens beim BND.jpg	Klaus Kinkel Template:Small	21 January 1993	27 October 1998	Template:Age in days	FDP	Foreign Affairs	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Kohl IV • V
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 12	File:Fischer und Paul Wolfowitz (Headshot).jpg	Joschka Fischer Template:Small	27 October 1998	22 November 2005	Template:Age in days	Green	Foreign Affairs	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Schröder I • II
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 13	File:FranzMüntefering mw1.jpg	Franz Müntefering Template:Small	22 November 2005	21 November 2007	Template:Age in days	SPD	Labour and Social Affairs	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Merkel I
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 14	File:Frank-Walter Steinmeier Feb 2014 (cropped).jpg	Frank-Walter Steinmeier Template:Small	21 November 2007	27 October 2009	Template:Age in days	SPD	Foreign Affairs	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Merkel I
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 15	File:Guido westerwelle.jpg	Guido Westerwelle Template:Small	27 October 2009	16 May 2011	Template:Age in days	FDP	Foreign Affairs	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Merkel II
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 16	File:Roesler-klein.jpg	Philipp Rösler Template:Small	16 May 2011	17 December 2013	Template:Age in days	FDP	Economic Affairs	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Merkel II
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 17	File:Sigmar Gabriel (2013).jpg	Sigmar Gabriel Template:Small	17 December 2013	14 March 2018	Template:Age in days	SPD	Economic Affairs (2013–17) Foreign Affairs (2017–18)	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Merkel III
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 18	File:Olaf Scholz September 2024.jpg	Olaf Scholz Template:Small	14 March 2018	8 December 2021	Template:Age in days	SPD	Finance	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Merkel IV
style="background:Template:Party color;" | 19	File:2021-12-07 Unterzeichnung des Koalitionsvertrages der 20. Wahlperiode des Bundestages by Sandro Halank–018 (cropped).jpg	Robert Habeck Template:Small	8 December 2021	6 May 2025	Template:Age in days	Green	Economic Affairs and Climate Protection	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Scholz
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" | 20	File:2025-05-05 Unterzeichnung des Koalitionsvertrages der 21. Wahlperiode des Bundestages by Sandro Halank–049 (cropped).jpg	Lars Klingbeil Template:Small	6 May 2025	Incumbent	Template:Age in days	SPD	Finance	style="background:Template:Party color; color:white" |	Merz