🇩🇪 Germany
Federal parliamentary republicLiberal democracy
Friedrich Merz
Chancellor · 482 days in office · 978 days remaining
How the political system works in Germany
Germans vote for a parliament called the Bundestag every four years, and the parliament then chooses the chancellor, who runs the government. A chancellor can be re-chosen as many times as parliament wants. Germany also has a president, but that job is mostly ceremonial.
Next election: 2029 — Next German federal election, expected spring 2029.
Tenure records
Longest-serving
Helmut Kohl
5,869 days
Shortest-serving
Walter Scheel
9 days
Average tenure
2,762 days
Friedrich Merz: 83% below average
Recent chancellors by days in office
Is a leader's tenure getting longer or shorter in Germany?
Across 10 completed terms, the average chancellor of Germany has served 2,762 days (about 7.6 years). Terms are getting longer: the last five completed terms averaged 3,723 days.
One completed term Average tenure per decade
All chancellors of Germany
| # | Name | Took office | Left office | Days |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11 |  Friedrich Merz | May 6, 2025 | Incumbent | 482 |
| 10 |  Olaf Scholz | Dec 8, 2021 | May 6, 2025 | 1,245 |
| 9 |  Angela Merkel | Nov 22, 2005 | Dec 8, 2021 | 5,860 |
| 8 |  Gerhard Schröder | Oct 27, 1998 | Nov 22, 2005 | 2,583 |
| 7 |  Helmut Kohl | Oct 1, 1982 | Oct 26, 1998 | 5,869 |
| 6 |  Helmut Schmidt | May 16, 1974 | Oct 1, 1982 | 3,060 |
| 5 |  Walter Scheel | May 7, 1974 | May 16, 1974 | 9 |
| 4 |  Willy Brandt | Oct 22, 1969 | May 7, 1974 | 1,658 |
| 3 |  Kurt Georg Kiesinger | Dec 1, 1966 | Oct 21, 1969 | 1,055 |
| 2 |  Ludwig Erhard | Oct 16, 1963 | Dec 1, 1966 | 1,142 |
| 1 |  Konrad Adenauer | Sep 15, 1949 | Oct 15, 1963 | 5,143 |
Officeholder history via Wikidata. Multiple rows for one person indicate separate terms.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is the Chancellor of Germany?
- Friedrich Merz has been Chancellor of Germany since May 6, 2025.
- How is the leader of Germany chosen?
- Germans vote for a parliament called the Bundestag every four years, and the parliament then chooses the chancellor, who runs the government. A chancellor can be re-chosen as many times as parliament wants. Germany also has a president, but that job is mostly ceremonial.
- Who is the longest-serving Chancellor of Germany?
- Helmut Kohl, with 5,869 days in office.
- Are leaders serving longer or shorter terms in Germany?
- Across 10 completed terms, the average chancellor of Germany has served 2,762 days (about 7.6 years). Terms are getting longer: the last five completed terms averaged 3,723 days.