West Germany alignment and affiliation to Western alliances like NATO and the European Union. The official German reunification ceremony on 3 October 1990 was held at the building, including Chancellor Helmut Kohl, President Richard von Weizsäcker, former Chancellor Willy Brandt and many others. One day later, the parliament of the united Germany would assemble in an act of symbolism in the Reichstag building. However, at that time, the role of Berlin had not yet been decided upon. Only after a fierce debate, considered by many as one of the most memorable sessions of parliament, the concluded on 20 June 1991, with quite
Chancellor of Germany (1949–present) Council of Ministers of the GDR "(Vorsitzender des Ministerrats der DDR)". (See Leaders of East Germany.) West Germany's 1949 constitution, the Basic Law ("Grundgesetz"), invests the Federal Chancellor ("Bundeskanzler") with central executive authority. Since the 1961 election, the two major parties (CDU/CSU and SPD) call their leading candidates for the federal election "chancellor-candidate" ("Kanzlerkandidat"), although this is not an official term and any party can nominate a Kanzlerkandidat (even if that party has no chance at all of leading or even becoming part of a government coalition). The Federal Government ("Bundesregierung") consists of the Federal Chancellor and their cabinet ministers,