Prime Minister of Lower Saxony
Encyclopedia
The Minister-President of Lower Saxony , also referred to as Premier or Prime Minister, is the head of government
of the German
state
of Lower Saxony
. The position was created in 1946, when the states of Brunswick
, Oldenburg
, Schaumburg-Lippe
and the State of Hanover
were merged to form the state of Lower Saxony. The current Premier is David McAllister
, heading a coalition government
between the conservative CDU
and the liberal FDP
. McAllister succeeded Christian Wulff
, who stepped down upon being elected President of Germany
.
The office of the Premier is known as the State Chancellery , and is located in the capital of Hanover
, along with the rest of the cabinet departments.
, although the state government consistently uses the title Prime Minister in English. An alternate title that is also used in English unofficially is Premier
.
, Schaumburg-Lippe
and the State of Hanover
were administered as part of the zone allocated to the British military administration. With the passage of time, the British government began to back the advocates of a merger of the states. Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf
, who went on to become Lower Saxony's first premier was a fervent advocate of the merger towards the British military authorities. On 23 October 1946, the British administration announced that they would support a merger of the states, as proposed by Kopf.
Consequently, the four states were merged to form the state of Lower Saxony via Ordinance No. 55 of 1 November 1946. Article 3 of the Ordinance created the position of Premier:
Article 4 of Ordinance No. 55 stipulated the appointment of the premier by the military government, until the holding of free Legislative Assembly elections in 1947. The British military administration then appointed Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf, the erstwhile Premier of the former State of Hanover, to serve as the first Premier of Lower Saxony.
The Premier is elected by the Legislative Assembly, by a majority of its members in a secret ballot
. However, unlike his counterpart in North-Rhine Westphalia, for instance, he does not have to be a Member of the Legislative Assembly. The only restriction is that the Premier may not be a Member of the Bundestag
. Before assuming his duties, the Premier-elect takes the following oath before the Members of the Legislative Assembly:
Upon election, the Premier then appoints his Cabinet which requires subsequent confirmation by the Legislative Assembly. In practical terms, the confirmation of the cabinet is an essential requirement for the Premier to govern, as until then the cabinet departments would be run by the (possibly defeated) predecessors. The Premier can be removed by the Legislative Assembly, through a constructive vote of no confidence
- namely the election of a successor. To this day, no vote of no-confidence has succeeded in the Lower Saxony Legislative Assembly, with the last attempt being made in November 1988.
The Premier, like the other members of the State Government, is not a civil servant - his salary is regulated by law. Like his ministers, the Premier is subject to the Lower Saxony Ministers Act, which regulates matters of salary, confidentiality and ethics. Furthermore, the Premier signs treaties made by the State of Lower Saxony and has to be consulted prior by other cabinet members prior to the start of any negotiations. The Premier is also authorized to appoint one of his cabinet members as his deputy in case of absence or illness. The only currently known instance of a Deputy Premier taking over the duties of Premier was in July 2010, when Jörg Bode
(FDP
) served as Acting Premier in the interval between Christian Wulff's election as President of Germany and David McAllister's confirmation as Premier on 1 July 2010. Meetings of the Cabinet traditionally take place in the guesthouse of the Lower Saxony Government, located close to the Hanover Zoological Gardens.
The State Chancellery, by convention, is headed by a state secretary appointed by the Premier. The current incumbent is Christine Hawighorst (CDU). Under the McAllister
administration, the State Chancellery is divided into four overall departments (Department 1: Policy Guidelines, Department 2: Legal/Administration/Media, Department 3: Europe/International Cooperation, Department 4: Lower Saxony Representation to the Federal Government). While each of these departments is headed by a separate section head, the Press and Information Office is under the direct purview of the Premier.
often used the Bundesrat as a forum to oppose the policies of the Adenauer government. Alfred Kubel, one of Kopf's successors, played a major role in negotiating a compromise between all German states on the creation of a national fiscal transfer mechanism (Länderfinanzausgleich
). Premier Ernst Albrecht, contrary to prevailing majority opinion in his own party, advocated and voted for the ratification of the treaties around which Willy Brandt's
Ostpolitik
was centred.
Ernst Albrecht
was a candidate for the CDU nomination for President in 1979 and Chancellor in 1980, Gerhard Schröder
became Chancellor of Germany
in 1998, his successor Sigmar Gabriel
is the current SPD chairman and Christian Wulff
was elected President of Germany
in 2010. Examples of Lower Saxony's influence on policy debates in federal politics include Ernst Albrecht's advocacy of financial transfers from other states and Gerhard Schröder's usage of Lower Saxony's Bundesrat
votes in matters of fiscal and tax policy.
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
of the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
state
States of Germany
Germany is made up of sixteen which are partly sovereign constituent states of the Federal Republic of Germany. Land literally translates as "country", and constitutionally speaking, they are constituent countries...
of Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony
Lower Saxony is a German state situated in north-western Germany and is second in area and fourth in population among the sixteen states of Germany...
. The position was created in 1946, when the states of Brunswick
Free State of Brunswick
The Free State of Brunswick was the republic formed after the abolition of the Duchy of Brunswick in the course of the German Revolution of 1918–19. It was a state of the German Reich in the time of the Weimar Republic and Nazi Germany.-History:...
, Oldenburg
Free State of Oldenburg
The Free State of Oldenburg was a state of the Weimar Republic. It was established in 1918 following the abdication of the Grand Duke Frederick Augustus II following the German Revolution....
, Schaumburg-Lippe
Free State of Schaumburg-Lippe
The Free State of Schaumburg-Lippe was created following the abdication of Prince Adolf II of Schaumburg-Lippe on 15 November 1918. It was a state in Germany during the Weimar Republic, headed by a Minister President. The democratic government was suppressed during Nazi rule...
and the State of Hanover
State of Hanover
The State of Hanover was a state in Northwest Germany. It existed between the dissolution of the former State of Prussia and the foundation of Lower Saxony in 1946 and saw itself in the tradition of the Kingdom of Hanover, annexed in 1866 by Prussia, as is clear from the state emblems...
were merged to form the state of Lower Saxony. The current Premier is David McAllister
David McAllister
David Graeme McAllister AM is the Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet and a former Principal Dancer with the company.-Biography:...
, heading a coalition government
Cabinet McAllister
The Cabinet McAllister is the current state government of the German state of Lower Saxony. It took office on 1 July 2010.The Cabinet is headed by Prime Minister David McAllister...
between the conservative CDU
Christian Democratic Union (Germany)
The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum...
and the liberal FDP
Free Democratic Party (Germany)
The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government...
. McAllister succeeded Christian Wulff
Christian Wulff
Christian Wilhelm Walter Wulff is the President of Germany and a politician of the Christian Democratic Union. He was elected President on 2010 and publicly swore the oath of office on . A lawyer by profession, he served as Premier of the state of Lower Saxony from 2003 to 2010.-Early life and...
, who stepped down upon being elected President of Germany
President of Germany
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany is the country's head of state. His official title in German is Bundespräsident . Germany has a parliamentary system of government and so the position of President is largely ceremonial...
.
The office of the Premier is known as the State Chancellery , and is located in the capital of Hanover
Hanover
Hanover or Hannover, on the river Leine, is the capital of the federal state of Lower Saxony , Germany and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of Great Britain, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg...
, along with the rest of the cabinet departments.
Title
The German title Ministerpräsident may also be translated literally as Minister-PresidentMinister-President
A minister-president is the head of government in a number of European countries or subnational governments, in which a parliamentary or semi-presidential system of government prevails, who presides over the council of ministers...
, although the state government consistently uses the title Prime Minister in English. An alternate title that is also used in English unofficially is Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
.
Origin of the Office
After the Second World War, the states of Brunswick, OldenburgOldenburg (state)
Oldenburg — named after its capital, the town of Oldenburg — was a state in the north of present-day Germany. Oldenburg survived from 1180 until 1918 as a county, duchy and grand duchy, and from 1918 until 1946 as a free state. It was located near the mouth of the River Weser...
, Schaumburg-Lippe
Schaumburg-Lippe
Schaumburg-Lippe was until 1946 a small state in Germany, located in the present day state of Lower Saxony, with its capital at Bückeburg.- History :...
and the State of Hanover
State of Hanover
The State of Hanover was a state in Northwest Germany. It existed between the dissolution of the former State of Prussia and the foundation of Lower Saxony in 1946 and saw itself in the tradition of the Kingdom of Hanover, annexed in 1866 by Prussia, as is clear from the state emblems...
were administered as part of the zone allocated to the British military administration. With the passage of time, the British government began to back the advocates of a merger of the states. Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf
Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf
thumb|right|Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf 1948Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf was a German politician, who served as Prime Minister of Lower Saxony from 1946 to 1955 and from 1959 to 1961...
, who went on to become Lower Saxony's first premier was a fervent advocate of the merger towards the British military authorities. On 23 October 1946, the British administration announced that they would support a merger of the states, as proposed by Kopf.
Consequently, the four states were merged to form the state of Lower Saxony via Ordinance No. 55 of 1 November 1946. Article 3 of the Ordinance created the position of Premier:
- "Subject to the provisions of any legislation which may be enacted pursuant to this Ordinance, the executive authority of Lower Saxony shall be exercised by a Cabinet, the Head of which shall be known as 'Ministerpräsident'"
Article 4 of Ordinance No. 55 stipulated the appointment of the premier by the military government, until the holding of free Legislative Assembly elections in 1947. The British military administration then appointed Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf, the erstwhile Premier of the former State of Hanover, to serve as the first Premier of Lower Saxony.
Election and Removal
Secret ballot
The secret ballot is a voting method in which a voter's choices in an election or a referendum are anonymous. The key aim is to ensure the voter records a sincere choice by forestalling attempts to influence the voter by intimidation or bribery. The system is one means of achieving the goal of...
. However, unlike his counterpart in North-Rhine Westphalia, for instance, he does not have to be a Member of the Legislative Assembly. The only restriction is that the Premier may not be a Member of the Bundestag
Bundestag
The Bundestag is a federal legislative body in Germany. In practice Germany is governed by a bicameral legislature, of which the Bundestag serves as the lower house and the Bundesrat the upper house. The Bundestag is established by the German Basic Law of 1949, as the successor to the earlier...
. Before assuming his duties, the Premier-elect takes the following oath before the Members of the Legislative Assembly:
- „I swear that I will devote my strength to the people and the state, preserve and defend the Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany and the constitution of Lower Saxony as well as the laws, perform my duties conscientiously and exercise justice towards all people." (The oath may be taken with or without the affirmation "So help me GodSo help me GodSo help me God is a phrase often used to give an oath, and most commonly required as part of an oath of office. It is also used in some jurisdictions as a form of oath for other forms of public duty, such as an appearance in court, service as a juror, etc....
")
Upon election, the Premier then appoints his Cabinet which requires subsequent confirmation by the Legislative Assembly. In practical terms, the confirmation of the cabinet is an essential requirement for the Premier to govern, as until then the cabinet departments would be run by the (possibly defeated) predecessors. The Premier can be removed by the Legislative Assembly, through a constructive vote of no confidence
Constructive vote of no confidence
The constructive vote of no confidence is a variation on the motion of no confidence which allows a parliament to withdraw confidence from a head of government only if there is a positive majority for a prospective successor...
- namely the election of a successor. To this day, no vote of no-confidence has succeeded in the Lower Saxony Legislative Assembly, with the last attempt being made in November 1988.
Powers and Status
According to the Lower Saxony Constitution, the Premier is the effective leader of the State Government, being responsible for the determination and formulation of policy guidelines. In this context, he chairs the cabinet meetings and may cast a tie-breaking vote in case of a stalemate between the ministers. Additionally, the Premier also represents the State of Lower Saxony externally and exercises the right of clemency in individual criminal cases. In titular terms, the Premier is also regarded as head of the state of Lower Saxony, thereby taking precedence over officials like the Speaker of the Lower Saxony Legislative Assembly.The Premier, like the other members of the State Government, is not a civil servant - his salary is regulated by law. Like his ministers, the Premier is subject to the Lower Saxony Ministers Act, which regulates matters of salary, confidentiality and ethics. Furthermore, the Premier signs treaties made by the State of Lower Saxony and has to be consulted prior by other cabinet members prior to the start of any negotiations. The Premier is also authorized to appoint one of his cabinet members as his deputy in case of absence or illness. The only currently known instance of a Deputy Premier taking over the duties of Premier was in July 2010, when Jörg Bode
Jörg Bode
Jörg Bode may refer to*Jörg Bode, the Deputy Prime Minister of Lower Saxony*Jörg Bode, a footballer...
(FDP
Free Democratic Party (Germany)
The Free Democratic Party , abbreviated to FDP, is a centre-right classical liberal political party in Germany. It is led by Philipp Rösler and currently serves as the junior coalition partner to the Union in the German federal government...
) served as Acting Premier in the interval between Christian Wulff's election as President of Germany and David McAllister's confirmation as Premier on 1 July 2010. Meetings of the Cabinet traditionally take place in the guesthouse of the Lower Saxony Government, located close to the Hanover Zoological Gardens.
The Role of the State Chancellery
The Premier of Lower Saxony, like his fellow premiers in their respective states, has the staff of the State Chancellery at his disposal. The State Chancellery assists the Premier in the preparation of draft legislation, the management of day-to-day government business and the coordination of media policy for the entire state. Additionally, it is responsible for relations to the other states in Germany and the European Union.The State Chancellery, by convention, is headed by a state secretary appointed by the Premier. The current incumbent is Christine Hawighorst (CDU). Under the McAllister
David McAllister
David Graeme McAllister AM is the Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet and a former Principal Dancer with the company.-Biography:...
administration, the State Chancellery is divided into four overall departments (Department 1: Policy Guidelines, Department 2: Legal/Administration/Media, Department 3: Europe/International Cooperation, Department 4: Lower Saxony Representation to the Federal Government). While each of these departments is headed by a separate section head, the Press and Information Office is under the direct purview of the Premier.
Role in German Politics
As the leader of one of Germany's territorially largest and most populous states, the Premier of Lower Saxony has traditionally been a major player in federal politics: The state's first Premier, Hinrich Wilhelm KopfHinrich Wilhelm Kopf
thumb|right|Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf 1948Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf was a German politician, who served as Prime Minister of Lower Saxony from 1946 to 1955 and from 1959 to 1961...
often used the Bundesrat as a forum to oppose the policies of the Adenauer government. Alfred Kubel, one of Kopf's successors, played a major role in negotiating a compromise between all German states on the creation of a national fiscal transfer mechanism (Länderfinanzausgleich
Equalization payments
Equalization payments are cash payments made in some federal systems of government from the federal government to subnational governments with the objective of offsetting differences in available revenue or in the cost of providing services....
). Premier Ernst Albrecht, contrary to prevailing majority opinion in his own party, advocated and voted for the ratification of the treaties around which Willy Brandt's
Willy Brandt
Willy Brandt, born Herbert Ernst Karl Frahm , was a German politician, Mayor of West Berlin 1957–1966, Chancellor of West Germany 1969–1974, and leader of the Social Democratic Party of Germany 1964–1987....
Ostpolitik
Ostpolitik
Neue Ostpolitik , or Ostpolitik for short, refers to the normalization of relations between the Federal Republic of Germany and Eastern Europe, particularly the German Democratic Republic beginning in 1969...
was centred.
Ernst Albrecht
Ernst Albrecht
Ernst Carl Julius Albrecht is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union and a former high-ranking civil servant of the European Commission...
was a candidate for the CDU nomination for President in 1979 and Chancellor in 1980, Gerhard Schröder
Gerhard Schröder
Gerhard Fritz Kurt Schröder is a German politician, and was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany , he led a coalition government of the SPD and the Greens. Before becoming a full-time politician, he was a lawyer, and before becoming Chancellor...
became Chancellor of Germany
Chancellor of Germany
The Chancellor of Germany is, under the German 1949 constitution, the head of government of Germany...
in 1998, his successor Sigmar Gabriel
Sigmar Gabriel
Sigmar Gabriel is a German politician currently chairing the Social Democratic Party of Germany .On 15 December 1999, after the resignation of Gerhard Glogowski, who had succeeded Gerhard Schröder in office, Gabriel became Minister-President of Lower Saxony and served until 4 March 2003...
is the current SPD chairman and Christian Wulff
Christian Wulff
Christian Wilhelm Walter Wulff is the President of Germany and a politician of the Christian Democratic Union. He was elected President on 2010 and publicly swore the oath of office on . A lawyer by profession, he served as Premier of the state of Lower Saxony from 2003 to 2010.-Early life and...
was elected President of Germany
President of Germany
The President of the Federal Republic of Germany is the country's head of state. His official title in German is Bundespräsident . Germany has a parliamentary system of government and so the position of President is largely ceremonial...
in 2010. Examples of Lower Saxony's influence on policy debates in federal politics include Ernst Albrecht's advocacy of financial transfers from other states and Gerhard Schröder's usage of Lower Saxony's Bundesrat
Bundesrat
Bundesrat means federal council and may refer to:* Bundesrat of Germany* Federal Council of Austria* Swiss Federal Council...
votes in matters of fiscal and tax policy.
The Premiers of Lower Saxony
| Minister-Presidents (Premiers) of Lower Saxony | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | Name | Born-Died | Party affiliation | Begin of Tenure | End of Tenure |
| 1 |
Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf thumb|right|Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf 1948Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf was a German politician, who served as Prime Minister of Lower Saxony from 1946 to 1955 and from 1959 to 1961... |
1893–1961 | SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
1946 | 1955 |
| 2 |
Heinrich Hellwege Heinrich Hellwege Heinrich Peter Hellwege was a German politician . Hellwege was Federal Minister for Affairs of the Federal Council and Prime Minister of Lower Saxony .... |
1908–1991 | DP German Party The German Party is a name used by a number of German political parties in the country's history. The current incarnation is represented only at the local level in Germany. However, from 1949 to 1961, a German Party was part of the ruling coalition in the Bundestag... /CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
1955 | 1959 |
| 3 |
Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf thumb|right|Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf 1948Hinrich Wilhelm Kopf was a German politician, who served as Prime Minister of Lower Saxony from 1946 to 1955 and from 1959 to 1961... |
1893–1961 | SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
1959 | 1961 |
| 4 |
Georg Diederichs Georg Diederichs Georg Diederichs was a German politician, a member of the SPD, who served as Prime Minister of Lower Saxony.He was born at Northeim and died in Hanover.... |
1900–1983 | SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
1961 | 1970 |
| 5 |
Alfred Kubel Alfred Kubel Alfred Kubel was a German politician; in his later career, he was a member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany.In 1928, after attending Middle School, Kubel became an industrial clerk... |
1909–1999 | SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
1970 | 1976 |
| 6 |
Ernst Albrecht Ernst Albrecht Ernst Carl Julius Albrecht is a German politician of the Christian Democratic Union and a former high-ranking civil servant of the European Commission... |
*1930 | CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
1976 | 1990 |
| 7 |
Gerhard Schröder Gerhard Schröder Gerhard Fritz Kurt Schröder is a German politician, and was Chancellor of Germany from 1998 to 2005. A member of the Social Democratic Party of Germany , he led a coalition government of the SPD and the Greens. Before becoming a full-time politician, he was a lawyer, and before becoming Chancellor... |
*1944 | SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
1990 | 1998 |
| 8 |
Gerhard Glogowski Gerhard Glogowski Gerhard Glogowski is a German politician .-Education:After Glogowski finished public school in Bonn he completed an apprenticeship as Toolmaker. In parallel, he attended night school where he finished his Abitur... |
*1943 | SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
1998 | 1999 |
| 9 |
Sigmar Gabriel Sigmar Gabriel Sigmar Gabriel is a German politician currently chairing the Social Democratic Party of Germany .On 15 December 1999, after the resignation of Gerhard Glogowski, who had succeeded Gerhard Schröder in office, Gabriel became Minister-President of Lower Saxony and served until 4 March 2003... |
*1959 | SPD Social Democratic Party of Germany The Social Democratic Party of Germany is a social-democratic political party in Germany... |
1999 | 2003 |
| 10 |
Christian Wulff Christian Wulff Christian Wilhelm Walter Wulff is the President of Germany and a politician of the Christian Democratic Union. He was elected President on 2010 and publicly swore the oath of office on . A lawyer by profession, he served as Premier of the state of Lower Saxony from 2003 to 2010.-Early life and... |
*1959 | CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
2003 | 2010 |
| 11 |
David McAllister David McAllister David Graeme McAllister AM is the Artistic Director of The Australian Ballet and a former Principal Dancer with the company.-Biography:... |
*1971 | CDU Christian Democratic Union (Germany) The Christian Democratic Union of Germany is a Christian democratic and conservative political party in Germany. It is regarded as on the centre-right of the German political spectrum... |
2010 | incumbent |