Angela Merkel is no longer officially Federal Chancellor of Germany – today, on the day of the inaugural meeting of the new Bundestag, President Frank-Walter Steinmeier handed over to her cabinet members the official letters for the termination of their powers, Deutsche Welle announced.
In accordance with Article 69 of the German Constitution, Steinmeier called on Merkel to remain acting of the Chancellor until the swearing-in of the future government. She, in turn, instructed her cabinet members to perform their current functions until new ministers are nominated. The German constitution obliges the chancellor to remain in office until the new Bundestag chooses a successor.
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Powers of the Acting Chancellor and his office remain the same, as before the end of the regular term, but traditionally, a “transitional” government does not make important political decisions.
At the inaugural meeting of the Bundestag, Merkel and members of the cabinet, who, like the chancellor, did not take seats, sat on the rostrum reserved for honorary guests.
Angela Merkel is nhead of the executive branch in Germany since 2005 In October 2018, she announced that in 2021 she would not be a candidate for chancellor.
