Cabinet Merkel II

Angela Merkel

The Merkel Cabinet II is the current government of Germany since October 28, 2009, during the 17th legislature of the Bundestag. Led by the Christian Democrat Angela Merkel (the first female chancellor in German history), it is supported by a coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU) and the Free Democratic Party (FDP). It follows the Merkel Cabinet I.

Composition

The current federal cabinet consists of the following Ministers:

Office	Image	Incumbent	Party	In office
Chancellor		Angela Merkel	CDU	November 22, 2005 – present
Vice-Chancellor		Guido Westerwelle	FDP	October 28, 2009 – May 18, 2011
		Philipp Rösler		May 18, 2011 - present
Federal Minister of Foreign Affairs		Guido Westerwelle	FDP	October 28, 2009 – present
Federal Minister of the Interior		Thomas de Maizière	CDU	October 28, 2009 – March 3, 2011
		Hans-Peter Friedrich	CSU	March 3, 2011 - present
Federal Minister of Justice		Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger	FDP	October 28, 2009 – present
Federal Minister of Finance		Wolfgang Schäuble	CDU	October 28, 2009 – present
Federal Minister of Economics and Technology		Rainer Brüderle	FDP	October 28, 2009 – May 12, 2011
		Philipp Rösler		May 12, 2011 - present
Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs		Franz Josef Jung	CDU	October 28, 2009 – November 27, 2009
		Ursula von der Leyen		November 30, 2009 – present
Federal Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection		Ilse Aigner	CSU	October 31, 2008 – present
Federal Minister of Defence		Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg	CSU	October 28, 2009 – March 3, 2011
		Thomas de Maizière	CDU	March 3, 2011 - present
Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth		Ursula von der Leyen	CDU	November 22, 2005 – November 30, 2009
		Kristina Schröder		November 30, 2009 – present
Federal Minister of Health		Philipp Rösler	FDP	October 28, 2009 – May 12, 2011
		Daniel Bahr		May 12, 2011 - present
Federal Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs		Peter Ramsauer	CSU	October 28, 2009 – present
Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety		Norbert Röttgen	CDU	October 28, 2009 – present
Federal Minister of Education and Research		Annette Schavan	CDU	November 22, 2005 – present
Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development		Dirk Niebel	FDP	October 28, 2009 – present
Federal Minister for Special Tasks, Head of the Chancellery		Ronald Pofalla	CDU	October 28, 2009 – present

Religion

At the Cabinet's inception, Protestants and Catholics were equally represented, each with 7 ministers. Two ministers have not stated their religious beliefs. However, when the Cabinet was sworn in, Chancellor Merkel and all the ministers used the optional formula "so help me God". Minister of the Interior Thomas de Maizière is a member of the presidium of the Deutscher Evangelischer Kirchentag, a Protestant organisation. Minister of Education Annette Schavan is a member of the Central Committee of German Catholics. Minister of Economics and Technology Philipp Rösler is also an active member of Catholic organisations.

See also

• Cabinet of Germany

External links

• Official English names of German ministers and ministries (German Foreign Office)