President Gauck Appoints New German Coalition Government

BERLIN, GERMANY - DECEMBER 17: A Familiyphoto of the newly elected German Cabinet made available at Bellevue Castle shows (L-R) Head of the German Chancellery Peter Altmaier, German Development Minister Gerd Mueller, German Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt, German Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks, German Agriculture and Consumer Protection Minister Hans-Peter Friedrich, German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere, German Minister of Work and Social Issues Andrea Nahles, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, German President Joachim Gauck, German Economy Minister and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German Justice Minister Heiko Maas, German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, German Health Minister Hermann Groehe, German Education Minister Johanna Wanka, and German Family Minister Manuela Schwesig after getting their new appointment papers during a ceremony in which Gauck appointed the new German government cabinet on December 17, 2013 in Berlin, Germany. The new government is a coalition between the German Christian Democrats (CDU), the Bavarian Christian Democrats (CSU) and German Social Democrats (SPD) following federal elections held in September. (Photo by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images)