Try it for yourself
037State governments

The usual title is Minister-President.

The word “most” matters. The three city-states use different titles for their heads of government.

About 4 min readReviewed: 19 October 2026
AI-generated empty fictional government office with a desk, chairs and German flag.
Political officesHead of a state government
A political office at state level. Fictional AI illustration.
The short answer

In most Länder, the head of government is called Minister-President.

The territorial states use this title. Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen use particular mayoral titles for the heads of their state governments.

Try it for yourselfExam question · No. 037
What are the heads of government of most federal states in Germany called?

Choose one answer. Your result stays on this page only.

One function, different office titles.

A state government needs political leadership. In most German states, its head is called Minister-President. This concerns a Land, not the federal government.

Berlin uses Governing Mayor and Hamburg First Mayor. In Bremen, the President of the Senate holds the title Mayor. Saying “in every Land” would therefore be inaccurate.

AI-generated scene of three adults talking at a meeting table.
Discussing government work together. Fictional AI-generated people and scene.

The other three answers

The alternatives are not the usual title for most state government heads.

First Minister

First Minister is not the German title sought here. Do not confuse it with Hamburg’s First Mayor.

Prime Minister

Prime Minister is a familiar international term, but not the usual German title asked for here.

Senator

Senators belong to city-state governments. Senator is not the title sought for most heads of government.

A title does not tell you every detail of an office’s powers.

State constitutions regulate responsibilities and government formation in detail. Identical titles do not mean every procedure is identical across the Länder.

The Federal President is a different office at federal level. The word president alone is not enough to identify a function.

Head of a state government · Political offices ↗
Your memory cue

Most Länder: Minister-President. Three city-states: mayoral titles.

Always connect an office’s title with its level and function.

Three words for this question

der MinisterpräsidentMinister-President
Usual title of a territorial state’s head of government.
der Stadtstaatcity-state
A German state with a particular urban structure.
der Senatsenate
Here: a city-state’s government.
Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung · Landesregierungen ↗

Each Land has a government and parliamentary representation.

39What does every German federal state have?
Catalogue answer

its own government

State governments are part of the federal structure.

62When the parliament of a German federal state is elected, it is called …
Catalogue answer

State parliament election.

The state parliament is elected in a state election.

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Sources & context

An independently written study guide, not an official BAMF publication or advice for an individual case. The sources below were reviewed on 19 October 2026 for the claims explained here; the test question comes from the existing question bank.

The two editorial pictures are AI-generated illustrations. They do not document real events or official proceedings.