Angela Merkel and Helmut Kohl at the CDU party conference in 1991: she was Federal Minister for Women at the time, he was Federal Chancellor
Photo: Michael Jung / dpa
The "eternal Chancellor" was also called Helmut Kohl.
From 1982 to 1998 he was in office at the head of government - longer than anyone before him.
As things stand now, Kohl will probably keep the title of the longest-serving Federal Chancellor for the time being.
Because Chancellor Angela Merkel (CDU) could just miss the record for the longest term in office - at least if the traffic light parties' plans for a government to be formed by the beginning of December work out.
No fixed point in time in the Basic Law
The previous record holder Helmut Kohl (CDU) ruled from 1982 to 1998 for a total of 5870 days.
Merkel could top Kohl's record if she were still in office on December 19.
It would then be 5871 days.
The traffic light parties SPD, Greens and FDP have now set themselves the goal of electing SPD politician Olaf Scholz as Merkel's successor in the Chancellery in the week of December 6th.
Even if Scholz were not elected by the Bundestag until the end of the week in question - on Friday, December 10th - Merkel would only have 5862 days in office.
So it would miss Kohl's long-term record by a few days.
However, it is unclear whether the traffic light negotiators will stick to the tight schedule.
In addition, it is unlikely, but also not ruled out, that the coalition negotiations will break down and another constellation will have to renegotiate.
The Basic Law does not prescribe a fixed date for the election of the Federal Chancellor.
There it only says in Article 63: "The Federal Chancellor will be elected by the Bundestag without debate on the proposal of the Federal President."
So far, it has taken the longest after the 2017 election for the new government to exist.
Merkel was not re-elected Chancellor until March 2018.
It happened very quickly around 1998. Gerhard Schröder was sworn in on October 27, just 30 days after the general election.
til / AFP
