Government and power in Germany
Who leads Germany, how the World Bank's governance indicators score it, how many women sit in parliament and government, what the state spends and taxes, and the official bodies that hold power to account. System of government: Federal parliamentary republic.
Who leads Germany?
- Head of state: Frank-Walter Steinmeier (President of the Federal Republic of Germany)
- Head of government: Friedrich Merz (Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany)
- Foreign minister: Johann Wadephul (Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Federal Republic of Germany)
Source: Heads of State, Heads of Government, Ministers for Foreign Affairs: Public List (United Nations Protocol and Liaison Service), list dated 15 October 2026. All world leaders.
Governance scores
The World Bank's Worldwide Governance Indicators combine surveys of households and firms with assessments by public, private and non-governmental bodies. Each score runs from 0 to 100; higher means the sources rate governance better. They measure perceptions, and each has a margin of error.
- Voice and accountability
- Measures how far citizens can choose their government, and freedom of expression, association and the media.
- Political stability and absence of violence
- Measures the likelihood of political instability or politically motivated violence, including terrorism.
- Government effectiveness
- Measures the quality of public services and the civil service, and how independent they are from political pressure.
- Regulatory quality
- Measures the government's ability to make and carry out policies that let the private sector develop.
- Rule of law
- Measures confidence in and respect for the rules of society, including contract enforcement, property rights, the police and the courts.
- Control of corruption
- Measures how far public power is used for private gain, including petty and grand corruption and "capture" of the state by elites.
How does Germany score on voice and accountability?
Voice and accountability: 86 out of 100 in 2025, 9th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 74.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 85.8.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Germany score on political stability?
Political stability and absence of violence: 69.3 out of 100 in 2025, 85th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 73.5). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 80.2.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Germany score on government effectiveness?
Government effectiveness: 82.8 out of 100 in 2025, 20th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 69.4). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 91.1.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Germany score on regulatory quality?
Regulatory quality: 76.4 out of 100 in 2025, 19th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 66.2). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 83.3.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Germany score on the rule of law?
Rule of law: 85.1 out of 100 in 2025, 13th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 70.8). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 87.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow does Germany score on control of corruption?
Control of corruption: 81.9 out of 100 in 2025, 13th highest of 193 UN member states with a score (regional median 60.7). Ten years earlier, in 2015, it was 82.8.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many women are in Germany's parliament?
Women held 32.4% of seats in the national parliament (single or lower chamber) in 2025, 59th highest of 184 countries with data. Source: Inter-Parliamentary Union, via the World Bank.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many of Germany's ministers are women?
Women held 50.0% of ministerial posts in 2025, 9th highest of 190.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much does the government of Germany spend?
Central government spending (expense) was 31.2% of GDP in 2022.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much tax does the government of Germany collect?
Central government tax revenue was 10.9% of GDP in 2024, 79th highest of 92.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow much does Germany spend on the military?
Military spending was 2.3% of GDP in 2025, 46th highest of 149 (Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, via the World Bank).
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow big are the armed forces of Germany?
Armed forces personnel numbered 183,000 in 2020.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow good are Germany's official statistics?
The World Bank's Statistical Performance Indicator, which scores how well a country's official statistics system works, was 90.1 out of 100 in 2024, 19th highest of 187.
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many births are registered in Germany?
100.0% of births of children under 5 were registered with a civil authority (2020).
Source: World Bank · saved copyHow many people in Germany use the internet?
93.5% of people used the internet in 2024.
Source: World Bank · saved copyOfficial bodies that hold power in Germany
Government
- Federal GovernmentFederal Government press releases, cabinet decisions and policy information.
Parliament
- German BundestagPlenary records, printed papers, votes and members' information of the federal parliament.
- BundesratPlenary records, decisions and printed matter of the chamber representing the Länder.
- DIP – Documentation and Information System for Parliamentary MaterialsThe legislative process, printed papers and plenary records of the Bundestag and Bundesrat.
Elections
- Federal Returning OfficerOfficial results of Bundestag and European elections, candidate lists and electoral statistics.
Courts
- Federal Court of JusticeDecisions and press releases of the highest court for civil and criminal matters.
- Federal Constitutional CourtDecisions, press releases and annual statistics of the constitutional court.
Public audit
- Federal Court of AuditAnnual reports and audit findings on federal finances and administration.
Lobbying register
- Lobbyregister (German Bundestag)Registered interest representatives, their clients, funding and contacts with the Bundestag and federal government.
Public contracts
- service.bund.deFederal public tenders and job vacancies.
Laws and the official gazette
- Federal Law GazetteThe official promulgation of federal laws and ordinances in the Bundesgesetzblatt.
- Gesetze im Internet (Federal Ministry of Justice)Consolidated texts of current federal laws and regulations, some with English translations.
Government below the national level
- Länder (16, including the city-states Berlin, Hamburg and Bremen): Elected parliaments and governments
- Government districts (Regierungsbezirke) in some Länder: Headed by appointed officials
- Districts (Landkreise, 294) and county-free cities (kreisfreie Städte, 106) – 2021 figures: District council (Kreistag) elected; district head (Landrat) directly elected in most Länder
- Municipalities (Gemeinden, about 10,700): Municipal council elected; mayor (Bürgermeister) directly elected in all 13 territorial states
- Localities and city districts (Ortschaften, Ortsbezirke, Bezirke): Local councils (Ortschaftsrat, Ortsbeirat) often directly elected
How local power works in Germany
Places in Germany
Sources
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Voice and accountability (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 70f2804fd1e2…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Political stability and absence of violence (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1317de0c85e1…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Government effectiveness (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a775e808dc65…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Regulatory quality (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 83b57e36ff8c…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Rule of law (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0bccc3c054e8…)
- World Bank: Worldwide Governance Indicators: Control of corruption (governance score 0-100), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 3b15a5340cdd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Seats held by women in national parliament (SG.GEN.PARL.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 1ae1dc13981a…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Women in ministerial positions (SG.GEN.MNST.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a4e448a5b8bd…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Central government spending (GC.XPN.TOTL.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 808094019f50…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Tax revenue (GC.TAX.TOTL.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 08c94b750f31…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Military spending (MS.MIL.XPND.GD.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 a7f6913a783b…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Armed forces personnel (MS.MIL.TOTL.P1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 fa4663c743ba…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Statistical Performance Indicator (overall score) (IQ.SPI.OVRL), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 08ac7cde9129…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: Births registered (SP.REG.BRTH.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 f8d443034ba7…)
- World Bank: World Development Indicators: People using the internet (IT.NET.USER.ZS), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 0d78dc658329…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.