Responsibilities of the Government

Seat of the Minister-President at Kiel

Schleswig-Holstein is the northernmost of the 16 federal states, the so-called Laender, of the Federal Republic of Germany. The most important responsibilities of the Laender are for education, culture, justice and internal security, but they also have some power to shape economic and environmental policy, and likewise health and social policy.

Just like all German federal states, Schleswig-Holstein has a parliament and government of its own. Both are based at its Capital, Kiel. The government is made up of the Minister-President and his cabinet.

The Minister-President is elected by the Landtag, the state's parliament, and plays a leading role in the government. He appoints and dismisses ministers, determines the broad outlines of policy and represents Schleswig-Holstein externally. In accordance with the states constitution, the ministers’ term of office is linked to that of the Minister-President. The ministers provide the political and strategic leadership for their ministries. The administrative head of the ministry is the State Secretary.

German federal states participate actively in national legislation through the Bundesrat by which they are represented at the federal level. Schleswig-Holstein also has a permanent representative in Berlin, and together with the neighbouring Free Hanseatic City of Hamburg it has an office in Brussels, seat of the European Commission.