The German city-state of Bremen (formally the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen), which is one of the states of Germany, is governed by the Senate of the Free Hanseatic City of Bremen. The senate is chaired by the President of the Senate, who is the head of government of the city-state. The President of the Senate and another member of the senate jointly serve as Mayors of the city of Bremen (Bürgermeister).
| Mayor of Bremen President of the Senate |
Party | From | To | Mayor Senator |
Party | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Erich Vagts | DNVP | 2 May 1945 | 31 July 1945 | Theodor Spitta | FDP | 1945 | 1955 |
| Wilhelm Kaisen | SPD | 31 July 1945 | 20 July 1965 | Jules Eberhard Noltenius | CDU | 1955 | 1959 |
| Adolf Ehlers | SPD | 1959 | 1963 | ||||
| Willy Dehnkamp | SPD | 1963 | 1965 | ||||
| Willy Dehnkamp | SPD | 20 July 1965 | 28 November 1967 | Hans Koschnick | SPD | 1965 | 1967 |
| Hans Koschnick | SPD | 28 November 1967 | 18 September 1985 | Annemarie Mevissen | SPD | 1967 | 1975 |
| Walter Franke | SPD | 1975 | 1979 | ||||
| Moritz Thape | SPD | 1979 | 1985 | ||||
| Klaus Wedemeier | SPD | 18 September 1985 | 4 July 1995 | Henning Scherf | SPD | 1985 | 1991 |
| Claus Jäger | FDP | 1991 | 1993 | ||||
| Ralf Fücks | Greens | 1993 | 1995 | ||||
| Henning Scherf | SPD | 4 July 1995 | 8 November 2005 | Ulrich Nölle | CDU | 1995 | 1997 |
| Hartmut Perschau | CDU | 1997 | 2005 | ||||
| Jens Böhrnsen | SPD | 8 November 2005 | incumbent | Thomas Röwekamp | CDU | 2005 | 2007 |
| Karoline Linnert | Greens | 2007 | incumbent |
The Senate of the state of Bremen is elected by the Bürgerschaft, the legislature elected by citizens in the cities of Bremen and Bremerhaven. However, Bremerhaven also has a separate municipal assembly and a separate administration headed by a distinct mayor.