349. What is the title of the head of government (male/female) of the city-state of Bremen?

Answer options

1. Minister-President (male) / Minister-President (female)
2. First Mayor (male) / First Mayor (female)
3. President of the Senate (male) / President of the Senate (female)
4. Governing Mayor (male) / Governing Mayor (female)

Explanation

In Bremen the Land government is traditionally called the “Senate”; its chair is the “President of the Senate (and Mayor),” who leads the executive on a collegial basis and represents the Land externally. The title reflects the Hanseatic city-republic tradition; Bremen also has another “Mayor” serving as deputy. By contrast, the heads of government in the territorial states are “Minister-Presidents,” in Hamburg “First Mayor,” and in Berlin “Governing Mayor.” Article 28(1) of the Basic Law secures constitutional homogeneity while permitting organizational autonomy of the Länder, hence these divergent titles are constitutionally unobjectionable.