First Merkel cabinet

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Merkel’s first cabinet was the government of Germany between 22 November 2005 and 27 October 2009, during the 16th Bundestag. Led by the Christian Democrat Angela Merkel (the first female chancellor in German history), it was supported by a grand coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU), and the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD). It followed Schröder's second cabinet. It laid down its function after the formation of Merkel’s second cabinet, which was formed following the 2009 elections.

Angela Merkel

Composition

The federal cabinet consisted of the following ministers:

Portfolio Minister Took office Left office Party
Chancellor Angela Merkel22 November 2005Merkel IICDU
Vice-Chancellor Franz Müntefering22 November 200521 November 2007SPD
 Frank-Walter Steinmeier21 November 200727 October 2009SPD
Minister of Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier22 November 200527 October 2009SPD
Minister of Labour and Social Affairs Franz Müntefering22 November 200521 November 2007SPD
 Olaf Scholz21 November 200727 October 2009SPD
Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety Sigmar Gabriel22 November 200527 October 2009SPD
Minister of Economics and Technology Michael Glos22 November 200510 February 2009CSU
 Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg10 February 200927 October 2009CSU
Minister of Defence Franz Josef Jung22 November 200527 October 2009CDU
Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth Ursula von der Leyen22 November 2005Merkel IICDU
Minister for Special Tasks and Head of the Chancellery Thomas de Maizière22 November 200527 October 2009CDU
Minister of the Interior Wolfgang Schäuble22 November 200527 October 2009CDU
Minister of Education and Research Annette Schavan22 November 2005Merkel IICDU
Minister of Health Ulla Schmidt12 January 200127 October 2009SPD
Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection Horst Seehofer22 November 200531 October 2008CSU
 Ilse Aigner31 October 2008Merkel IICSU
Minister of Finance Peer Steinbrück22 November 200527 October 2009SPD
Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs Wolfgang Tiefensee22 November 200527 October 2009SPD
Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development Heidemarie Wieczorek-Zeul27 October 199828 October 2009SPD
Minister of Justice Brigitte Zypries22 October 200227 October 2009SPD

Formation of the grand coalition

Neither the coalitions of the CDU/CSU and the Free Democratic Party (FDP) nor the ruling SPD and Alliance '90/The Greens had the vote of a majority of members of the Bundestag following the 2005 federal election, so the CDU/CSU and SPD decided to form the second grand coalition in the history of the federal republic.

Both CDU/CSU and SPD achieved a similar percentage of votes at the election (35.2% and 34.2%, respectively), so they decided that each would receive eight cabinet seats (with six for the CDU and two for the CSU). On October 13 the SPD announced their future ministers and on October 17 the CDU/CSU announced theirs.

Edmund Stoiber (CSU) was to become the Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, but refused the post on November 1, followed by a conflict with Angela Merkel over the abilities of the minister to succeed him.

The coalition agreement (Koalitionsvertrag), titled Together for Germany. With courage and humanity, was signed and accepted by the congress of the CDU, CSU, and SPD on November 12, 13, and 14. Angela Merkel was elected Chancellor of Germany on November 22 by 397 votes to 217. From that date the cabinet was officially in power.

See also

External links

German empire
Weimar era
Nazi era
West Germany
Post-reunification
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