Question 42
What is the name of Germany's current head of state?
German original: Wie heißt Deutschlands heutiges Staatsoberhaupt?. In the test, all questions are asked in German.
Answer options
- Frank-Walter Steinmeier — Correct answer
- Bärbel Bas
- Bodo Ramelow
- Joachim Gauck
Explanation
Frank-Walter Steinmeier has been Federal President (head of state) of Germany since 2017. He was re-elected for a second term in 2022.
Key terms in this question
- Germany — Germany is a country in central Europe with a parliamentary democracy. It is a member of the European Union and its capital is Berlin.
- State — A state is an organized community with a defined territory, a population, and a government that creates and enforces laws.
- Head of State — The head of state is the highest official representative of a country, who represents it internationally. In Germany, the Federal President (Bundespräsident) holds this role.
- means / is called — 'Heißt' is the third person singular form of the German verb 'heißen'. It is used to state someone's or something's name, or to explain the meaning of something.
- Federal state — A federal state is one of the 16 regions that together form Germany. Each state has its own government, parliament, and areas of responsibility.
- German — German is the official language of Germany, Austria, and part of Switzerland. It is the native language of approximately 100 million people.
- today's / current / present-day — 'Heutig' means 'of today' or 'current'. It describes something that belongs to or exists in the present time.
- head of state / leader — The head of state is the most important person of a country, organization, or group. They hold the highest position and represent the entire community.