Fernando from Brazil interested in the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany. I will try to make it as easy as possible to explain. However, this sequence of German Slow very complicated and difficult to understand. But believe me: too many Germans are aware of the political system is not!

First on the structure of Germany: Germany consists of 16 federal states. The federal capital is Berlin. Founded as the Federal Republic on 24 May 1949, four years after the end of the Second World War. In October, the Constitution of the German Democratic Republic, the GDR, therefore, entered into force. Since 3 October 1990 Germany is reunited, that is another country. On this day each year is therefore the "Day of German Unity celebrated.

The following important concepts I will now declare: Bundestag, Federal Chancellor, President.

The Federal Republic of Germany is a democratic, social state, more precisely, a parliamentary democracy. It is also a federal state. There's the federal level and state level. The various provinces have their own constitutions. Although the Constitution of the FRG Basic Law. This means: Each state has its own laws, the constitution is but in case of doubt, the crucial. A simple example: In some federal countries in the old constitution still in it, that the death penalty. According to the German constitution but there is no more. So they exist in Germany.

The head of state is the Federal President. But he has mainly representative functions, politically speaking, he is not very important. He is elected every five years, from the Federal Assembly. This is the only task of the Federal Assembly. The Federal Assembly shall be composed of members of the Bundestag and an equal number of other members from all over the country. At the last election, there were 1205 members. For once, the President will be reelected, then he would be so 10 years in office. The next election will take place on 23 May 2009 instead. The current German President Horst Köhler is to say, and another candidate is a woman - Gesine Schwan. Supposedly the Federal earns 199,000 euros a year (2007).

The head of government is the Chancellor. He is elected by the Bundestag. Previously, the President proposed it. The chancellor - or, as is currently the Chancellor, because our boss is Angela Merkel - then suggests the federal ministers. Chancellor and Minister are the federal government. Sometimes, the Federal Republic of Germany as chancellor democracy, because the Registrar a very strong position. A Registrar can be renewed indefinitely. Helmut Kohl was the longest German chancellor from 1982 to 1998, ie 16 years. The chancellor allegedly earned about 240,000 euros a year.

Two major institutions, I must still say - sometimes they are confused by many Germans. There are the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. The Bundestag is the parliament. He is elected directly by the people. A so-called legislature, so the time in which the Bundestag in more or less the same composition policy, usually takes four years. Currently there are 612 deputies in the Bundestag from all federal states. The Bundestag President Norbert Lammert is currently. The Bundestag, the federal law creates and amends the Constitution. It can also international treaties with other states to approve and adopt the federal budget, so the finances of the country. He selects as earlier said the chancellor and controls the deployment of the Bundeswehr, namely the military.

The Bundesrat, however, has other tasks: Here are the members represented in every province. Each state has three to six seats, depending on the number of inhabitants. You can be in legislation at the federal level. The Federal Council currently has 69 Members and can not be abolished.

Finally, even if it is up here was very complicated, nor a word about the German political parties. The largest parties in Germany, the SPD and the CDU / CSU. The SPD, the Social Democratic Party of Germany. The last chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, was selected by the SPD. The color red is the SPD The CSU is only in Bavaria, it has partnered with its sister party CDU together. The color of the CDU / CSU is black, the acronym stands for Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union. The two major parties have formed a coalition and govern together at the moment. Smaller parties, the FDP (yellow), often described as a Liberal, and Greens (green), which is only since 1980, and the beginning of their time, especially for the environment have. Only a year ago, there are "The Left", a very controversial party.

So, that was the complicated issue of policy, rather, the political system of Germany. In everyday life we remember as the German way: We must choose and elect members of parliament, or Bundestag. Then it waits until the Registrar is elected. It is often criticized that we do not directly elect the Registrar may - but that is in many countries.

Finally, some music, by Markus Kaes, sung by Judith Jahn. The song is called "Again." Incidentally, there is a new tool to slowgerman.com. If your using the mouse double on any word, so click twice, then you see the English translation. Thanks to Stan for this widget!

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