The name can change; the office remains governed by rules.
The Chancellor heads the federal government. The Basic Law regulates election by parliament and responsibility for setting the general direction of policy.
A current-name question should therefore be learned differently from a lasting definition. Associate the name with the office, but also check the review date of older learning materials.
The other three answers
Familiar names are not automatically current Chancellors.
Gerhard Schröder
Gerhard Schröder was Chancellor from 1998 to 2005. He is a former officeholder.
Angela Merkel
Angela Merkel was Chancellor from 2005 to 2021. Her long tenure does not make her the current officeholder.
Ursula von der Leyen
Ursula von der Leyen is President of the European Commission. That EU office is not Germany’s chancellorship.
This is a dated answer, not a timeless one.
Political offices can change hands. This page records the checked position and does not claim automatic updating after a later change.
The Chancellor is head of government. Germany’s head of state is the President; the two names must not be interchanged.
Checked 19 October 2026 · Federal Government ↗Checked 19 October 2026: Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
Also learn the role: head of government, not head of state.
Three words for this question
- der Amtsinhaberofficeholder
- The person holding an office at a particular time.
- die Amtszeitterm in office
- The period during which someone holds office.
- der Regierungschefhead of government
- The person leading the government.