Germany is a democratic European state with a complex political system. Decisions in the country can be made at the federal and local levels, each of which has its own bodies of executive, judicial and legislative power. How are the elections in Germany? We will find out more about this later.
Federal Republic of Germany
The country is in Western Europe. It is washed by the North and Baltic Seas, and is surrounded by Denmark, the Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands and France. Germany is a developed country with a strong economy and high standard of living.
It is part of a number of world organizations, such as the European Union, NATO, and the G8. The country is home to 82 million people. The official language is German. The largest cities are Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich, Bremen, Dusseldorf.
The capital of the state is Berlin, but many federal departments and ministries are located in Bonn. Germany is a democratic, legal, social state, the form of government of which is defined as a parliamentary republic.
The German election system is different for parliament, cabinet, chancellor and president. The only body elected by direct popular vote is parliament. Other bodies and posts are elected by authorized persons.
Germany: Presidential Election
The president is the head of state. The post first appeared in 1949. In February 2017, Frank-Walter Steinmeier was elected to the post. Its official residences are in Berlin and Bonn. Presidential elections in Germany are held every five years with the possibility of one re-election. One person can only hold this post twice.
The functions of the chapter include representing the country on the world stage, announcing and signing laws, approving federal officials, officers and judges, as well as nominating candidates for the post of chancellor.
To hold elections in Germany, a special body is being formed - the Federal Assembly. It consists of an equal number of members of parliament and delegates from regional parliaments. The candidate with the most votes is elected as president. The decision takes effect after taking the oath.
Chancellor Election
The central executive branch is the government of the country. Its head is the Federal Chancellor. He has been entrusted with the main responsibilities for managing the state, which is why the country's form of government is often called chancellor democracy. He decides on the path that Germany should follow.
The Chancellor is elected by the Bundestag (federal parliament). His powers last 4 years. They can be terminated ahead of time after a constructive vote of no confidence, that is, in the case when the majority of members of parliament acknowledge their disagreement with the policy of the Chancellor.
The head of government can form a cabinet of ministers, determine the number of seats and the scope of activities of ministers. He first submits proposals on their dismissal or appointment to the president. Since 2005, Angela Merkel has been Chancellor.
Bundestag
The highest unicameral legislative body is the Bundestag or the federal parliament. Parliamentary elections in Germany are held every four years. He controls the activities of the government, draws up and passes laws, chooses the chancellor. The parliamentary bodies include the Presidium (chairman and his deputies), the Council of Elders, committees, factions, the administration and the police of the Bundestag.
Elections in Germany are held according to a mixed system. Half of the deputies are elected by direct secret ballot, the other part is on the lists from each land. Both of these steps are related to each other. The first vote adjusts the composition of the factions, the second determines the party structure of power.
The parliament can be represented by parties that won from 5 percent or more of the vote or won in three single-mandate constituencies. The total number of seats is 631. The seats for each party held are calculated using the Saint-Lagou method, in accordance with the number of votes they received in the election.
Bundesrat
The federal status of the country means that important decisions are made at two levels: national (federal) and regional. The territory of Germany is divided into 16 lands. At the same time, Hamburg, Berlin and Bremen are land cities. Each of them has its own parliament, executive and judicial powers.
The interests of the regions in the central parliament are represented by the Bundesrat. It is sometimes called the upper house, although it is formally considered that there is only one house in parliament. The Bundesrat is the legislative body that has the right to propose and challenge most of the laws.
This is not an elected body, without a term of office. Currently, 69 people represent him. From the government of each land from 3 to 6 people are sent to it, depending on its size. The only elected position in the Bundesrat is the post of its chairman. Members of this body elect him for a year.
