German order of precedence

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The German order of precedence is a symbolic hierarchy of the five highest federal offices in Germany used to direct protocol. It has no official status, but has been established in practical use.[1]

  1. The President of Germany, the head of state of Germany.
  2. The President of the Bundestag, the speaker of the German parliament, the Bundestag.
  3. The Chancellor of Germany, the head of the government of Germany.
  4. (1.) The President of the Bundesrat, the speaker of the Bundesrat, a federal legislative chamber, in which the governments of the sixteen German states are represented. The president of the Bundesrat is ex officio also deputy to the President of Germany (Basic Law, Article 57), thus becomes first in the order, while acting on behalf of the President or while acting as head of state during a vacancy of the presidency.
  5. The President of the Federal Constitutional Court, the supreme court of Germany.

Current office-holders[edit]

No. Office Image Incumbent In office since Deputy(s)
1st
President of Germany
Frank-Walter Steinmeier 19 March 2017 Manuela Schwesig
President of the Bundesrat
(See 4th)
2nd
President of the Bundestag
Bärbel Bas 26 October 2021 Aydan Özoğuz
Yvonne Magwas
Katrin Göring-Eckardt
Wolfgang Kubicki
Petra Pau
Vice Presidents of the Bundestag
3rd
Chancellor of Germany
Olaf Scholz 8 December 2021 Robert Habeck
Vice Chancellor of Germany
4th (1st)
President of the Bundesrat
Manuela Schwesig 1 November 2023 Peter Tschentscher
First Vice President of the Bundesrat
Anke Rehlinger
Second Vice President of the Bundesrat
5th
President of the Federal Constitutional Court
Stephan Harbarth 22 June 2020 Doris König
Vice President of the Federal Constitutional Court

Living former office-holders[edit]

The order of precedence is also observed with respect to former office-holders in some cases, for example if they participate in official ceremonies as honoured guests.

Trivia[edit]

As of November 2023, 111 persons have held at least one of the five highest German federal offices. Eight of them were female:

The following people have held two different of these offices:

  • Karl Carstens, President of Germany (1979–1984), President of the Bundestag (1976–1979)
  • Roman Herzog, President of Germany (1994–1999), President of the Federal Constitutional Court (1987–1994)
  • Johannes Rau, President of Germany (1999–2004), President of the Bundesrat (1982–1983 and 1994–1995)
  • Kai-Uwe von Hassel, President of the Bundestag (1969–1972), President of the Bundesrat (1955–1956)
  • Kurt-Georg Kiesinger, Chancellor of Germany (1966–1969), President of the Bundesrat (1962–1963)
  • Willy Brandt, Chancellor of Germany (1969–1974), President of the Bundesrat (1957–1958)
  • Gerhard Schröder, Chancellor of Germany (1998–2005), President of the Bundesrat (1997–1998)

Notes[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Protokollarische Rangfragen".