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Third Merkel cabinet

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Third Cabinet of Angela Merkel
Cabinet Merkel III

22nd Cabinet of the Federal Republic of Germany
17 December 2013 – 24 October 2017
(until 14 March 2018 as caretaker government)
Date formed17 December 2013
Date dissolved14 March 2018
(4 years, 2 months, 3 weeks and 4 days)
People and organisations
PresidentJoachim Gauck (until 18 March 2017)
Frank-Walter Steinmeier (from 19 March 2017)
ChancellorAngela Merkel
Vice ChancellorSigmar Gabriel
Member partiesChristian Democratic Union
Social Democratic Party
Christian Social Union of Bavaria
Status in legislatureGrand coalition
504 / 631 (80%)




Opposition partiesThe Left
The Greens
Opposition leaderGregor Gysi (2013–2015)
Sahra Wagenknecht (2015–2018)
Dietmar Bartsch (2015–2018)
History
Election2013 federal election
Legislature terms18th Bundestag
PredecessorMerkel II
SuccessorMerkel IV
This article is part of
a series about
Angela Merkel

Revolution of 1989

Kohl government

Leader of the Christian Democratic Union

First ministry and term

Second ministry and term

Third ministry and term

Fourth ministry and term

The Third Merkel cabinet (German: Kabinett Merkel III) was the 23rd Government of the Federal Republic of Germany during the 18th legislative session of the Bundestag. Installed after the 2013 federal election, it left office on 14 March 2018. It was preceded by the second Merkel cabinet and succeeded by the fourth Merkel cabinet.[1] Led by Chancellor Angela Merkel. The government was supported by a coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD).[2][3] Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) replaced Philipp Rösler (FDP) as Vice Chancellor of Germany and became Federal Minister for Economics and Energy.

The CDU received five ministries in addition to the positions of Chancellor, as well as Chancellery Chief of Staff and Minister for Special Affairs. The SPD controlled six ministries and the CSU three. Although the CSU received a disproportionate share of ministries relative to its weight in the Bundestag, the six most powerful ministries were divided equally between the CDU and the SPD: the CDU controlled the ministries for finance, internal affairs and defense, while the SPD controlled the ministries for foreign affairs, economics and energy, as well as justice and consumer protection.[4]

The term of office of the third Merkel cabinet officially ended with the constitution of the 19th Bundestag on Tuesday, 24 October 2017. Merkel and her cabinet ministers received their discharge papers from the Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on the same day. In accordance with Article 69 of the German Constitution and at the request of the President of Germany, the cabinet remained in office as the caretaker government until a new government is formed.[5]

Third Merkel cabinet in the Bundestag, 2014

Composition

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Portfolio Minister Took office Left office Party
Chancellor[6]17 December 201314 March 2018 CDU
Vice Chancellor17 December 201314 March 2018 SPD
Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs17 December 201327 January 2017 SPD
Sigmar Gabriel
27 January 201714 March 2018 SPD
Federal Minister of the Interior17 December 201314 March 2018 CDU
Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection17 December 201314 March 2018 SPD
Federal Minister of Finance17 December 201324 October 2017 CDU
24 October 201714 March 2018[7] CDU
Federal Minister of Economics and Energy
Sigmar Gabriel
17 December 201327 January 2017 SPD
27 January 201714 March 2018 SPD
Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs17 December 201328 September 2017 SPD
28 September 201714 March 2018 SPD
Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture17 December 20137 February 2014 CSU
7 February 201414 March 2018 CSU
Federal Minister of Defense17 December 201314 March 2018 CDU
Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth17 December 20132 June 2017 SPD
2 June 201714 March 2018 SPD
Federal Minister of Health17 December 201314 March 2018 CDU
Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure17 December 201324 October 2017 CSU
Christian Schmidt
(Acting)
24 October 201714 March 2018 CSU
Federal Minister for the Environment,
Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety		17 December 201314 March 2018 SPD
Federal Minister of Education and Research17 December 201314 March 2018 CDU
Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation17 December 201314 March 2018 CSU
Federal Minister of Special Affairs &
Head of the Chancellery
Peter Altmaier
17 December 201314 March 2018 CDU

Caretaker government following the 2017 election

[edit]

After the German federal election held on Sunday, 24 September 2017, SPD leader Martin Schulz declared that the SPD had decided to be a part of the opposition during the next legislation period.[8] However, after coalition talks between the Union (CDU/CSU), FDP and the Greens failed, SPD politicians reconsidered, leading to coalition negotiations between the CDU/CSU and the SPD. On 8 February 2018, the negotiations resulted in a provisional agreement to form a grand coalition,[9] which was approved by the party members of the SPD and led to the formation of the new government on 14 March 2018.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Bundeskanzlerin und Bundeskabinett vereidigt" [Federal Chancellor and cabinet sworn in] (in German). Deutscher Bundestag. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  2. ^ based on Artikel 60 III of the Basic Law: Full text
  3. ^ "Bundeskanzlerin und Bundeskabinett vereidigt" [Federal Chancellor and cabinet sworn in] (in German). Deutscher Bundestag. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  4. ^ Stephan Wallace (April 29, 2014), Commentary: Merkel's Third Government – Return of the Grand Coalition American Institute for Contemporary German Studies (AICGS) Washington, D.C.
  5. ^ "Government continues as acting government". 24 October 2017. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  6. ^ "Liste der Bundesministerinnen und Bundesminister".
  7. ^ "Nicht gefunden - not found - Bundesfinanzministerium - Service".
  8. ^ Stefan Kuzmany / spiegel.de: A New Germany, Spiegel.de.
  9. ^ "Merkel Makes Painful Concessions to Form New Government". Spiegel Online. 7 February 2018. Retrieved 8 February 2018.
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