# Every Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany

From Konrad Adenauer, elected in 1949, through Willy Brandt, Helmut Kohl and Angela Merkel to Friedrich Merz, chancellor since May 2025: all ten chancellors of the Federal Republic in order of office, with their party and key facts.

- 201 votes · 10 items
- Aug 14, 2025 · die_bergfex
- https://even.best/en/l/5433/every-chancellor-of-the-federal-republic-of-germany

## Top 10

1. **Konrad Adenauer** (24 · ▲27 ▼3) — CDU, chancellor 1949–1963. The first chancellor; anchored West Germany in the West and reconciled with France.
2. **Ludwig Erhard** (23 · ▲24 ▼1) — CDU, chancellor 1963–1966. Previously economics minister and "father of the economic miracle".
3. **Kurt Georg Kiesinger** (21 · ▲23 ▼2) — CDU, chancellor 1966–1969. Led the first grand coalition.
4. **Willy Brandt** (21 · ▲21 ▼0) — SPD, chancellor 1969–1974. Ostpolitik; Nobel Peace Prize 1971.
5. **Helmut Schmidt** (17 · ▲19 ▼2) — SPD, chancellor 1974–1982. Chancellor during the "German Autumn" of 1977.
6. **Olaf Scholz** (14 · ▲15 ▼1) — SPD, chancellor 2021–2025. Led the "traffic light" coalition of SPD, Greens and FDP.
7. **Angela Merkel** (8 · ▲12 ▼4) — CDU, chancellor 2005–2021. The first woman in the office; chancellor for 16 years.
8. **Gerhard Schröder** (6 · ▲10 ▼4) — SPD, chancellor 1998–2005. Red-green coalition and the Agenda 2010 reforms.
9. **Helmut Kohl** (5 · ▲11 ▼6) — CDU, chancellor 1982–1998. The longest-serving chancellor; "chancellor of reunification" in 1990.
10. **Friedrich Merz** (4 · ▲10 ▼6) — CDU, chancellor since 2025. Elected in May 2025 in a second round of voting.

How is this ranking ordered? By people's votes: each ▲ adds a point and each ▼ takes one away. Anyone can vote and add what is missing.