First Merkel cabinet

The First Merkel cabinet (German: Kabinett Merkel I) was the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany from 22 November 2005 to 27 October 2009 throughout the 16th legislative session of the Bundestag.[1] Led by Christian Democrat Angela Merkel, the first female Chancellor in German history, the cabinet was supported by a grand coalition between the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU) and the Social Democratic Party (SPD).[2]

First Cabinet of Angela Merkel
Cabinet Merkel I

20th Cabinet of the Federal Republic of Germany
22 November 2005 – 28 October 2009
Date formed22 November 2005
Date dissolved27 October 2009
(3 years, 11 months and 5 days)
People and organisations
PresidentHorst Köhler
ChancellorAngela Merkel
Vice-ChancellorFranz Müntefering (until 21 November 2007)
Frank-Walter Steinmeier (from 21 November 2007)
Member partyChristian Democratic Union
Social Democratic Party
Christian Social Union of Bavaria
Status in legislatureGrand coalition
Opposition partyFree Democratic Party
Party of Democratic Socialism
The Greens
Opposition leaderWolfgang Gerhardt (until 30 April 2006)
Guido Westerwelle (from 30 April 2006)
History
Election(s)2005 federal election
Legislature term(s)16th Bundestag
PredecessorSchröder II
SuccessorMerkel II
This article is part of
a series about
Angela Merkel

Revolution of 1989

Kohl government

Leader of the Christian Democratic Union

First ministry and term

Second ministry and term

Third ministry and term

Fourth ministry and term

It was installed following the 2005 federal election and succeeded the second Schröder cabinet.[3] It ceased to function after the formation of second Merkel cabinet, which was installed after the 2009 federal elections and sworn in on 28 October 2009.[4]

Composition

The federal cabinet consisted of the following ministers:

PortfolioMinisterTook officeLeft officeParty
Chancellor22 November 2005Merkel II CDU
Vice-Chancellor22 November 200521 November 2007 SPD
21 November 200727 October 2009 SPD
Minister of Foreign Affairs
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
22 November 200527 October 2009 SPD
Minister of Labour and Social Affairs22 November 200521 November 2007 SPD
21 November 200727 October 2009 SPD
Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, and Nuclear Safety22 November 200527 October 2009 SPD
Minister of Economics and Technology22 November 200510 February 2009 CSU
10 February 200927 October 2009 CSU
Minister of Defence22 November 200527 October 2009 CDU
Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth22 November 2005Merkel II CDU
Minister for Special Tasks and Head of the Chancellery22 November 200527 October 2009 CDU
Minister of the Interior22 November 200527 October 2009 CDU
Minister of Education and Research22 November 2005Merkel II CDU
Minister of Health12 January 200127 October 2009 SPD
Minister of Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection22 November 200531 October 2008 CSU
31 October 2008Merkel II CSU
Minister of Finance22 November 200527 October 2009 SPD
Minister of Transport, Building and Urban Affairs22 November 200527 October 2009 SPD
Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development27 October 199828 October 2009 SPD
Minister of Justice22 October 200227 October 2009 SPD

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.[2] Both CDU/CSU and SPD achieved a similar percentage of votes at the election (35.2% and 34.2%, respectively),[5] so they decided that each would receive eight cabinet seats (with six for the CDU and two for the CSU). On 13 October the SPD announced their future ministers and on 17 October the CDU/CSU announced theirs.[6]

Edmund Stoiber of the CSU was to become the Federal Minister of Economics and Technology, but refused the post on 1 November after a conflict with Angela Merkel over the abilities of the minister to succeed him, and chose to continue his state-level role in Bavaria.[7]

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 12, 13, and 14 November.[3] Angela Merkel was elected Chancellor of Germany on 22 November 2005 by 397 votes to 202. From that date the cabinet was officially in power.[8]

See also

References
  1. http://dip21.bundestag.de/dip21/btp/16/16003.pdf
  2. "Analysis: German Coalition Deal". BBC News. 15 November 2005. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  3. "Merkel to succeed Germany's Schröder". The Washington Post. 11 October 2005. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
  4. "Merkel's new cabinet sworn in". DW. 30 October 2009. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  5. "Election to the 16th German Bundestag of 18 September 2005". Federal Returning Officer. Archived from the original on 7 September 2015. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  6. "Basic Agreement for Coalition Negotiations between CDU/CSU and SPD" (PDF). Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  7. "Edmund Stoiber". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
  8. "Merkel sworn in as German chancellor". The Guardian. 22 November 2005. Retrieved 1 August 2015.
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