Gerhard Schröder

Olaf Scholz became Germany's ninth post-World War II chancellor on Dec. 8, opening a new era for the European Union's most populous nation and largest economy after Angela Merkel's 16-year tenure.

With a hit by the "godmother of punk" Nina Hagen, Germany's military saluted a visibly moved Angela Merkel during a ceremonial farewell on Dec. 2, just a week before she is due to bow out of politics after 16 years in office.

Germany's former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder stated in his latest book "Letzte Chance" (The Last Chance) that Turkey has become an "incontrovertible dominant force" in the eastern Mediterranean.

More than 50 foreign leaders, including Russia’s Dmitry Medvedev and Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro, as well as a number of former prime ministers, like Germany’s Gerhard Schröder and Italy’s Silvio Berlusconi, attended Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s inauguration ceremony in Ankara on July 9. Click through for their photos...

Chancellor Angela Merkel welcomed has the prospect of talks on a “grand coalition” with her Social Democrat (SPD) rivals and defended the record of the previous such government, saying it had worked well.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Nov. 20 that she was "very skeptical" about leading a minority government if no coalition could be formed to run Europe's biggest economy and thinks a new election would be a better solution.

Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Nov. 20 her efforts to form a three-way coalition government had failed, thrusting Germany into a political crisis and pushing Europe's largest economy closer to a possible new election.

Looking for a reason why the eurozone was so ineffective in combatting its economic problems? Look at the French inaction in dealing with problems of its own. The country has been lagging behind economically, socially and politically for the past decade, while Germany ploughed ahead to be leader of Europe.

Former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder hit back at those criticising him for taking a job at a Russian energy company, saying some of his critics wanted to push Germany into a "new Cold War."

The critics include his successor as chancellor, Angela Merkel, who is campaigning to win her fourth term in elections to be held Sept. 24.

Russia has nominated former German chancellor Gerhard Schroeder to the board of its biggest oil producer Rosneft as an independent director, according to a government decree published late on Aug. 11.