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The Third Merkel cabinet (German: Kabinett Merkel III) was the 23rd Government of the Federal Republic of Germany during the 18th legislative session of the Bundestag. Installed after the 2013 federal election, it left office on 14 March 2018. It was preceded by the second Merkel cabinet and succeeded by the fourth Merkel cabinet.[1] Led by Chancellor Angela Merkel. The government was supported by a coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Christian Social Union of Bavaria (CSU) and the Social Democrats (SPD).[2][3] Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) replaced Philipp Rösler (FDP) as Vice Chancellor of Germany and became Federal Minister for Economics and Energy.
Third Cabinet of Angela Merkel Cabinet Merkel III | |
|---|---|
 22nd Cabinet of the Federal Republic of Germany | |
| 17 December 2013 – 24 October 2017 (until 14 March 2018 as caretaker government) | |
 | |
| Date formed | 17 December 2013 |
| Date dissolved | 14 March 2018 (4 years, 2 months, 3 weeks and 4 days) |
| People and organisations | |
| President | Joachim Gauck (until 18 March 2017) Frank-Walter Steinmeier (from 19 March 2017) |
| Chancellor | Angela Merkel |
| Vice Chancellor | Sigmar Gabriel |
| Member parties | Christian Democratic Union Social Democratic Party Christian Social Union of Bavaria |
| Status in legislature | Grand coalition 504 / 631 (80%)
|
| Opposition parties | The Left The Greens |
| Opposition leader | Gregor Gysi (2013–2015) Sahra Wagenknecht (2015–2018) Dietmar Bartsch (2015–2018) |
| History | |
| Election | 2013 federal election |
| Legislature terms | 18th Bundestag |
| Predecessor | Merkel II |
| Successor | Merkel IV |
The CDU received five ministries in addition to the positions of Chancellor, as well as Chancellery Chief of Staff and Minister for Special Affairs. The SPD controlled six ministries and the CSU three. Although the CSU received a disproportionate share of ministries relative to its weight in the Bundestag, the six most powerful ministries were divided equally between the CDU and the SPD: the CDU controlled the ministries for finance, internal affairs and defense, while the SPD controlled the ministries for foreign affairs, economics and energy, as well as justice and consumer protection.[4]
The term of office of the third Merkel cabinet officially ended with the constitution of the 19th Bundestag on Tuesday, 24 October 2017. Merkel and her cabinet ministers received their discharge papers from the Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier on the same day. In accordance with Article 69 of the German Constitution and at the request of the President of Germany, the cabinet remained in office as the caretaker government until a new government is formed.[5]
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Third Merkel cabinet in the Bundestag, 2014
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| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chancellor[6] | 17 December 2013 | 14 March 2018 | CDU | ||
| Vice Chancellor | 17 December 2013 | 14 March 2018 | SPD | ||
| Federal Minister for Foreign Affairs | 17 December 2013 | 27 January 2017 | SPD | ||
Sigmar Gabriel | 27 January 2017 | 14 March 2018 | SPD | ||
| Federal Minister of the Interior | 17 December 2013 | 14 March 2018 | CDU | ||
| Federal Minister of Justice and Consumer Protection | 17 December 2013 | 14 March 2018 | SPD | ||
| Federal Minister of Finance | 17 December 2013 | 24 October 2017 | CDU | ||
Peter Altmaier (Acting) | 24 October 2017 | 14 March 2018[7] | CDU | ||
| Federal Minister of Economics and Energy | Sigmar Gabriel | 17 December 2013 | 27 January 2017 | SPD | |
| 27 January 2017 | 14 March 2018 | SPD | |||
| Federal Minister of Labour and Social Affairs | 17 December 2013 | 28 September 2017 | SPD | ||
Katarina Barley (Acting) | 28 September 2017 | 14 March 2018 | SPD | ||
| Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture | 17 December 2013 | 7 February 2014 | CSU | ||
| 7 February 2014 | 14 March 2018 | CSU | |||
| Federal Minister of Defense | 17 December 2013 | 14 March 2018 | CDU | ||
| Federal Minister for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth | 17 December 2013 | 2 June 2017 | SPD | ||
| 2 June 2017 | 14 March 2018 | SPD | |||
| Federal Minister of Health | 17 December 2013 | 14 March 2018 | CDU | ||
| Federal Minister of Transport and Digital Infrastructure | 17 December 2013 | 24 October 2017 | CSU | ||
Christian Schmidt (Acting) | 24 October 2017 | 14 March 2018 | CSU | ||
| Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Building and Nuclear Safety | 17 December 2013 | 14 March 2018 | SPD | ||
| Federal Minister of Education and Research | 17 December 2013 | 14 March 2018 | CDU | ||
| Federal Minister of Economic Cooperation | 17 December 2013 | 14 March 2018 | CSU | ||
| Federal Minister of Special Affairs & Head of the Chancellery | Peter Altmaier | 17 December 2013 | 14 March 2018 | CDU | |
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After the German federal election held on Sunday, 24 September 2017, SPD leader Martin Schulz declared that the SPD had decided to be a part of the opposition during the next legislation period.[8] However, after coalition talks between the Union (CDU/CSU), FDP and the Greens failed, SPD politicians reconsidered, leading to coalition negotiations between the CDU/CSU and the SPD. On 8 February 2018, the negotiations resulted in a provisional agreement to form a grand coalition,[9] which was approved by the party members of the SPD and led to the formation of the new government on 14 March 2018.
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