Page:The Bonn Constitution (Basic Law FRG 1949).pdf/29



The Federal Chancellor shall determine and assume responsibility for general policy. Within the limits of this general policy, each Federal Minister shall direct his department individually and on his own responsibility. The Federal Government shall decide on differences of opinion between the Federal Ministers. The Federal Chancellor shall conduct its business in accordance with Standing Orders (Rules of Procedure) adopted by the Federal Government and approved by the Federal President.

The Federal Chancellor and the Federal Ministers may not hold any other salaried office, carry on a trade or practise a profession or belong to the management or, without the approval of the Bundestag, to the supervisory board of a profit-making enterprise.

(1) The Bundestag may express its lack of confidence in the Federal Chancellor only by electing a successor with the majority of its members and submitting a request to the Federal President for the dismissal of the Federal Chancellor. The Federal President must comply with the request and appoint the person elected.

(2) There must be an interval of 48 hours between the motion and the election.

(1) If a motion of the Federal Chancellor to receive a vote of confidence does not obtain the support of the majority of the members of the Bundestag, the Federal President may, upon the proposal of the Federal Chancellor, dissolve the Bundestag within 21 days. The right of dissolution shall lapse as soon as the Bundestag, with the majority of its members, elects another Federal Chancellor.

(2) There must be an interval of 48 hours between the introduction of, and the vote on, the motion. Rh