Living in Germany - The political, administrative and legal systems

The Federal Republic of Germany is a federal parliamentary democracy with a two-chamber system consisting of the Bundestag (Federal Lower House of Parliament) and the Bundesrat (Federal Upper House of Parliament). At present the following parties are represented in the Bundestag: the CDU (Christlich Demokratische Union – Christian Democratic Union), which forms the largest parliamentary grouping together with the (Christlich-Soziale Union – Christian Social Union), the SPD (Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands – Social Democratic Party of Germany), the FDP (Freie Demokratische Partei – Free Democratic Party), GRÜNE (Bündnis 90/Die Grünen – Alliance 90/The Greens) and Die Linke (the party of the left and members of WASG (Wahlalternative für Arbeit & soziale Gerechtigkeit – Electoral Alternative for Work and Social Justice).

The Bundestag – Parliament – has its permanent seat in the Reichstag building in Berlin. The composition of the Bundestag is determined every four years by a parliamentary election. The Bundestag elects the Federal Chancellor who proposes the members of the government (ministers). The Bundestag passes laws. If the laws of the Federal Länder are affected, their representatives (the Bundesrat) must also approve them. The Bundesrat, which is composed of members of the governments of the Länder, represents the 16 Federal Länder. The number of votes per Federal Land depends on the number of inhabitants of the individual Länder, and varies from three to five votes.

Administrative tasks in Germany are distributed between Federal Government, Federal Länder and local authorities (municipalities and local government). The main focus of the administrative work lies with the Länder and the local authorities. Federal Government allocates them tasks and the appropriate financial resources. As part of their self-government, local authorities carry out their own, optional tasks at their own discretion and according to what is financially feasible, and also tasks laid down by Federal Government and Land.

Text last edited on: 11/2006

Source: European Union
© European Communities, 1995-2007
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