Leader of the Opposition (Germany)
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The Leader of the Opposition (German: Oppositionsführer, pronounced [ɔpoziˈt͡si̯oːnsˌfyːʁɐ] ⓘ) in Germany is the parliamentary leader of the largest political party in the Bundestag that is not in government.
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Leader of the Opposition | |
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Oppositionsführer | |
Member of | Bundestag |
Term length | While parliamentary leader of the largest party not in government |
Inaugural holder | Kurt Schumacher |
Formation | 7 September 1949 |
Salary | €127,100.40 (2023) |
In Germany, the Leader of the Opposition is an informal title that is not even mentioned and does not have any formal functions in the by-laws of the Bundestag. However, the Leader of the Opposition is, by convention, the first person to respond to the most senior government spokesperson during a debate.[1][2] The title also exists on a state level, but only in the Landtag of Schleswig-Holstein is the position formally recognized as an actual office.
Only two Leaders of the Opposition went on to be directly elected Chancellor afterwards: Helmut Kohl (1976–1982) and Angela Merkel (2002–2005).