Germany is a federal republic, the capital of which is Berlin. It is composed of 16 länder; Frankfurt is located in the Hesse region. The president, who has a representative role, is currently Horst Köhler (since 2004) of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The chancellor is Angela Merkel, who in 2005 became the first woman chancellor of Germany and the youngest person to occupy the position since the end of the Second World War. The goverment exercises executive power, while federal legislative power is vested in both the government and the two chambers of parliament, the Bundestag (the legislative branch of the political system) and the Bundesrat (made up of representatives from the 16 länder). The mayor of Frankfurt is Petra Roth, also of the CDU.

Religion

There are about 34% Protestants, 33% Roman Catholics and Jewish, Muslims (especially Turkish) and a minority of other non-Christians. Churches can set a tax based on the salary of their congregation. When you register at the Frankfurt town hall, it is very important to notify the authorities of whether you belong to a church or not. If you fail to do so, a tax will be automatically deducted from your salary.