On March 19, 2022, Frank-Walter Steinmeier was re-elected President of Germany. Many people in the United States who are unfamiliar with the German political system are probably wondering if Germany has a Chancellor, what the German President does, and how the German President is Elected. The system is much different from the presidential election in the USA, but the job of the German President is quite different from that of the American President. Let me clarify.
What does the German President Do?
Germany has a Parliamentary system of government, and the Chancellor is the leading political figure. So, what does that leave for the President? The President is more of a ceremonial figure with some key powers.
What exactly does the German President do?
Think of the role as similar to the British Queen (or king). The German President represents the German people, at home and abroad. They oversee the lawmakers and executive branch to ensure that they are doing their jobs within the scope of the German constitution. While the President has veto power, the position can not stop laws from being passed. They can only be passed along to the Federal Constitutional Court for legal vetting.
The President also appoints and dismisses judges, civil servants, and military officers.
The German President visits the German States or Länder as a federal government representative, giving speeches, attending cultural events, and awarding honors. Another part of the job is to represent Germany in international and political gatherings, hosting State dignitaries and foreign envoys.
The most essential function of the German President is to appoint and fire the Chancellor in the lower house of the Bundestag. The President also hires and fires cabinet members.
Where is the German President’s office?
The German president’s office is in Schloss Bellevue, on the north side of the Tiergarten, close to the Siegessäule. The 220-person staff operates out of a new building right next door.

How is the German President Elected?
In Germany, the President is not voted into office by general election. The people of Germany are not handed a ballot to choose their president. This means there is no campaigning, debating, or community meetings for the citizens to choose their president. INSTEAD… the President of Germany is elected by a committee known as a Federal Convention. The Federal Convention comprises ALL 598 of the members of the Bundestag (the German almost equivalent of our Congress) along with an equal number of representatives (so another 598) from the 16 German States. The representatives from the states are chosen by their state, and the number each state sends is proportional to the population. These representatives are not necessarily politicians; sometimes, they are known public figures.
When the Federal Convention convenes, members nominate candidates. The nominees for German President must be at least 40 years old.
There are up to three rounds of voting in a secret ballot. If, after the first round, no one candidate receives an absolute majority of the votes (over 50%), another round of voting is held. New candidates may be named for the second round of voting. Then, a third-round if the second round of voting does not lead to a winner with an absolute majority vote. Again, new candidates can be added to the ballot at this point. The third round does not require an absolute majority; the winner must have more votes than everyone else.
The president-elect then has 2 days to decide if they want the job, which lasts for a term of 5 years. There is a two-term limit to the German Presidency.
Learn about how the German Chancellor is Elected HERE–> German Chancellor
For more information about Politics in Germany-
Politics In GermanyA Concise History of Germany (Cambridge Concise Histories) , Second Edition
ich bin auch german fon hamburg kame to the u s a in 1951 mit hubby und 2 kinder koenten kein englisch sprechen meine tante in ill. hat uns rueber gebracht
hi nice article! I’m German and I really like to read how other nations see my country. I have some improvement for you’re article though. I don’t hink the president as a veto. As you described before he mostly is a ceremonial figure. He usualy signs the laws that come out of the parliarment. And it could be called a veto but it’s much much weaker than other vetos and it never happens, because the signing of a law is a ceremonial act. If the president disapproves he usually meets with parliarment o government and they improve the law together.
Hiring and firing chancellors or ministers is also a ceremonial act. The chancellor can only be fired by a vote of the parliarment or if he steps down. The president just accepts their letter of resignation. He also doen’t choose a chancellor. The chancelor is elected by the parliament.