Politics & Government Guide in Germany
Political system, governance structure, stability indicators, and democratic institutions
Germany's current government is a 'black-red' coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz since May 6, 2025, following snap elections in February 2025. The coalition focuses on industrial competitiveness, increased defense and infrastructure spending via loosened borrowing limits, and stricter migration controls amid global security shifts. This marks a return to center-right leadership with cross-party compromises on key economic and foreign policy issues.
Political Stability
Good
Corruption Index
Good
Democracy Index
Good
Government Type
Federal parliamentary republic
Legal System
Civil law system
Head of State
President Frank-Walter Steinmeier(since 2017)
Head of Government
Chancellor Friedrich Merz(Christian Democratic Union)since 2025
Political Indicators
Political Stability
Scale: 0-1
Stable
World Bank (2024)
Corruption Index
Scale: 0-100
Transparency International (2024)
Press Freedom
Scale: 0-100
Reporters Without Borders (2024)
Democracy Index
Scale: 0-10
Full Democracy
Economist Intelligence Unit (2024)
Legislature
Major Political Parties
Center-right
Center-left
Center-right
Green
Far-right
Voting Rights
German citizens have full voting rights. EU citizens can vote in local and European Parliament elections.
Recent Developments
- Snap federal election held on 2025-02-23 following collapse of Scholz government
- CDU/CSU-SPD coalition agreement signed on 2025-05-05
- Friedrich Merz elected Chancellor and new government sworn in on 2025-05-06
- €500 billion special fund established for infrastructure, energy transition, and digitization
- Stricter migration policies agreed, including turning back undocumented asylum seekers
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