Editing Politics of Germany (section)

===Head of government===
{{Main|Chancellor of Germany (1949–present)}}
[[File:150515 Bundeskanzleramt (Berlin) Ostseite.jpg|thumb|[[German Chancellery]]]]

The ''[[Chancellor of Germany (1949–present)|Bundeskanzler]]'' (federal chancellor) heads the ''[[Cabinet of Germany|Bundesregierung]]'' (federal government) and thus the [[executive branch]] of the federal government. They are elected by and responsible to the ''[[Bundestag]]'', Germany's parliament. The other members of the government are the federal ministers; they are chosen by the Chancellor. Germany, like the United Kingdom, can thus be classified as a [[parliamentary system]]. The office is currently held by [[Friedrich Merz]] (since 2025). <!--update "current"-->

The Chancellor cannot be removed from office during a four-year term unless the ''Bundestag'' has agreed on a successor. This [[constructive vote of no confidence]] is intended to avoid a similar situation to that of the [[Weimar Republic]] in which the executive did not have enough support in the legislature to govern effectively, but the legislature was too divided to name a successor. The current system also prevents the Chancellor from calling a [[snap election]].

Except in the periods 1969–1972 and 1976–1982, when the Social Democratic party of Chancellors [[Willy Brandt|Brandt]] and [[Helmut Schmidt|Schmidt]] came in second in the elections, the chancellor has always been the candidate of the largest party, usually supported by a coalition of two parties with a majority in the parliament. The chancellor appoints one of the federal ministers as their deputy,<ref>Article 69 of the Basic Law</ref> who has the unofficial title [[Vice Chancellor of Germany|Vice Chancellor]] ({{langx|de|Vizekanzler}}). The office is currently held by [[Lars Klingbeil]] (since 2025). <!--update "current"-->