Question 58 · Federal question
Who appoints the ministers of the federal government in Germany?
German original (as asked in the real test)
Wer ernennt in Deutschland die Ministerinnen/die Minister der Bundesregierung?
- A die Präsidentin/der Präsident des Bundesverfassungsgerichtes
- B die Bundespräsidentin/der Bundespräsident ✓ Correct answer
- C die Bundesratspräsidentin/der Bundesratspräsident
- D die Bundestagspräsidentin/der Bundestagspräsident
Translation
Who appoints the ministers of the federal government in Germany?
- A the President of the Federal Constitutional Court
- B the Federal President ✓ Correct answer
- C the President of the Federal Council
- D the President of the Bundestag
Explanation
Under Article 64 of the German Basic Law, federal ministers are appointed and dismissed by the Federal President upon proposal of the Federal Chancellor. Other officeholders, like the presidents of the Bundestag, Bundesrat, or Federal Constitutional Court, do not have executive appointment powers for the Federal Government.
Tips
- Watch for keywords like "ernennen" (appoint) and link them to constitutional roles.
- Remember: the head of state performs formal appointments; the head of government proposes.
- Eliminate parliamentary or judicial officeholders—they generally have no authority to appoint executive ministers.
- Knowing specific Basic Law articles (e.g., Art. 63–64) helps distinguish proposal vs. appointment powers.
Practice in the app
