Fourth Merkel cabinet

Last updated
Fourth Cabinet of Angela Merkel
Cabinet Merkel IV
Flag of Germany.svg
23rd Cabinet of the Federal Republic of Germany
14 March 2018 – 26 October 2021
(until 8 December 2021 as caretaker government)
2018-03-12 Unterzeichnung des Koalitionsvertrages der 19. Wahlperiode des Bundestages by Sandro Halank-011.jpg
Signing of the coalition agreement for the 19th Bundestag on 12 March 2018
Date formed14 March 2018
Date dissolved8 December 2021
(3 years, 8 months, 3 weeks and 3 days)
People and organisations
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Chancellor Angela Merkel
Vice-Chancellor Olaf Scholz
Member parties   Christian Democratic Union
   Social Democratic Party
   Christian Social Union in Bavaria
Status in legislature Grand coalition
Opposition parties   Alternative for Germany
   Free Democratic Party
   The Left
   The Greens
Opposition leaders Alice Weidel (AfD) &
Alexander Gauland (AfD)
History
Election 2017 federal election
Legislature terms 19th Bundestag
Predecessor Merkel III
Successor Scholz

The Fourth Merkel cabinet (German: Kabinett Merkel IV) was the 23rd Government of the Federal Republic of Germany during the 19th legislative session of the Bundestag. It was sworn in on 14 March 2018 following the 2017 federal election and dismissed on 26 October 2021, acting in a caretaker mode until 8 December 2021. It was preceded by the third Merkel cabinet and succeeded by the Scholz cabinet. Led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, it was the third cabinet under Merkel to be supported by a coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU), and the Social Democratic Party (SPD).

Contents

Composition

The cabinet consists of Chancellor Angela Merkel and fifteen (fourteen since 20 May 2021) federal ministers. Olaf Scholz (SPD) replaced Sigmar Gabriel as Vice Chancellor and CSU Leader Horst Seehofer became Federal Minister of the Interior, Building and Community. Fourteen ministers head a department (since 20 May 2021, one minister heads two departments); one member of the cabinet, the Head of the Chancellery, is Federal Minister for Special Affairs without a portfolio. The CDU has seven positions, the SPD has six and the CSU has three, as follows:

Order [1] OfficePortraitMinisterPartyTook officeLeft office
1 DEgov-BKin-Logo.svg
Chancellor
Angela Merkel 2019 cropped.jpg Angela Merkel CDU 14 March 20188 December 2021
2 Vice Chancellor Olaf Scholz September 2024.jpg Olaf Scholz SPD 14 March 20188 December 2021
BMF Logo.svg
Federal Minister of Finance
3 BMI Logo.svg
Federal Minister of the Interior, Building and Community
12-07-17-landtagsprojekt-bayern-RalfR-001.jpg Horst Seehofer CSU 14 March 20188 December 2021
4 Auswartiges Amt Logo.svg
Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs
Heiko Maas - Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs Germany 2019.jpg Heiko Maas SPD 14 March 20188 December 2021
5 Bundesministerium fur Wirtschaft und Energie Logo.svg
Federal Minister of Economics and Energy
Peter Altmaier Portrait.png Peter Altmaier CDU 14 March 20188 December 2021
6 Bundesministerium der Justiz und fur Verbraucherschutz logo.svg
Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection
Katarina Barley-4934.jpg Katarina Barley SPD 14 March 201827 June 2019
2017-03-19 Lambrecht Roth SPD Parteitag by Olaf Kosinsky-3.jpg Christine Lambrecht SPD 27 June 20198 December 2021
7 BMAS Logo.svg
Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs
2018-05-02 re-publica 18 by Sandro Halank-053.jpg Hubertus Heil SPD 14 March 20188 December 2021
8 BMVG Logo.svg
Federal Minister of Defence
Acting Secretary of Defense Hosts German Defense Minister at Pentagon 190412-D-BN624-258 (cropped).jpg Ursula von der Leyen CDU 17 December 201317 July 2019
Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer 2016 (cropped).jpg Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer CDU 17 July 20198 December 2021
9 BMEL Logo.svg
Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture
2018-11-23 Julia Klockner Talkshow 3 nach 9-1347.jpg Julia Klöckner CDU 14 March 20188 December 2021
10 BMFSFJ Logo.svg
Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth
MJK 19248 Franziska Giffey (SPD-Bundesparteitag 2018).jpg Franziska Giffey SPD 14 March 201820 May 2021
2017-03-19 Lambrecht Roth SPD Parteitag by Olaf Kosinsky-3.jpg Christine Lambrecht SPD 20 May 20218 December 2021
11 BMG Logo.svg
Federal Minister of Health
MJKr01695 Jens Spahn (NRW-Empfang, Berlinale 2020).jpg Jens Spahn CDU 14 March 20188 December 2021
12 Bundesministerium fur Verkehr und digitale Infrastruktur Logo.svg
Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure
Scheuer Andreas 2017 by Studio Weichselbaumer.jpg Andreas Scheuer CSU 14 March 20188 December 2021
13 Bundesministerium fur Umwelt, Naturschutz, Bau und Reaktorsicherheit Logo.svg
Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety
2493ri SPD, Svenja Schulze.jpg Svenja Schulze SPD 14 March 20188 December 2021
14 BMBF Logo.svg
Federal Minister of Education and Research
Karliczek, Anja-1612.jpg Anja Karliczek CDU 14 March 20188 December 2021
15 BMZ Logo.svg
Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development
Muller Gerd 2017 by Buro Dr. Gerd Muller.jpg Gerd Müller CSU 14 March 20188 December 2021
16 DEgov-BKAmt-Logo.svg
Federal Minister for Special Affairs &
Head of the Chancellery
Helge-Braun.jpg Helge Braun CDU 14 March 20188 December 2021

    2018 government crisis

    In June 2018, a government crisis erupted within the cabinet between Interior Minister and CSU Chairman Horst Seehofer and Chancellor Angela Merkel, after Seehofer had elaborated a masterplan on asylum policies, containing the rejection of asylum seekers already registered in other EU countries. [2] Seehofer had threatened to resign over the crisis on 1 July, but an agreement was made between the CDU/CSU sister parties on 2 July. [3]

    Caretaker government

    The results of the 2017 election had necessitated a series of negotiations that required the Merkel III cabinet to remain in a caretaker capacity for a prolonged period of time (into 2018). Government formation after the 2021 elections lasted until 24 November 2021, [4] and the caretaker government continued until 8 December, [5] making Merkel just 9 days short of the record for longest-serving Chancellor in post-war German history ahead of Helmut Kohl. [6]

    References

    1. German Chancellery (15 March 2018). "Liste der Bundesministerinnen und Bundesminister" [List of Federal Ministers]. Protokoll Inland der Bundesregierung (in German). German Federal Ministry of the Interior. Archived from the original on 5 March 2019. Retrieved 16 March 2014.
    2. German government crisis: What are Merkel's options?, Reuters, 2 July 2018
    3. Chancellor Angela Merkel and Horst Seehofer agree on a migration compromise, Deutsche Welle, 2 July 2018
    4. "German parties reach a deal to form a coalition government as the era of Merkel ends". NPR. 24 November 2021.
    5. "Germany's Olaf Scholz takes over from Merkel as chancellor". BBC News. 8 December 2021.
    6. "Angela Merkel's party beaten in Germany election, but she will remain Chancellor for now. Here's why". ABC News. 26 September 2021.