Who elects the Federal Chancellor in Germany?

In Germany, the Federal Chancellor is elected by the Bundestag (federal parliament) upon proposal by the Federal President. This is a central element of the parliamentary system: the head of government must have the confidence of the parliamentary majority.

• Match institutions to their core functions: the Bundestag elects the head of government, the Federal Convention elects the Federal President, and the Bundesrat represents the states.
• Watch for the distinction between direct and indirect elections: the people elect the Bundestag, not the Chancellor directly.
• Look for keywords like “elects the Chancellor” and think of the parliamentary confidence principle.
• Use elimination: remove bodies that are either state-representative (Bundesrat) or convene only for presidential elections (Federal Convention), and options suggesting direct popular election.