GERMAN GOVERNMENT

Background:
Germany is a parliamentary democracy governed
under the constitution of 1949, which became the
constitution of a united Germany in 1990. The
federal president is the head of state but has little
influence on government. The president is elected
for a five-year term by a federal convention, which
meets only for this purpose and consists of the
Bundestag and an equal number of members
elected by the state parliaments.
Germany is divided into 16 states (Lnder). Each
state has its own constitution, legislature, and
government, which can pass laws on all matters
except those, such as defense, foreign affairs, and
finance, that are the exclusive right of the federal

President: Currently Germany is under power by

Joachim Gauck. The Federal President gives
direction to general political and societal debates
and has some important reserve powers in case of
political instability. The Federal President
represents the Federal Republic of Germany in
matters of international law, concludes treaties
with foreign states on its behalf and accredits
diplomats. Furthermore, the President must sign
all federal laws before they can come into effect;
however, he can only veto a law that he believes
to violate the constitution.

Head of Government
Chancellor Angela Merkel
is the head of government
for Germany. Merkel is the
first former citizen of the
German Democratic
republic to lead the reunite
of Germany and the first
woman to lead Germany
since it became a modern
nation stay in 1871.

Basic Law
Central laws that cause the
federal states additional
administrative costs or
replace existing central laws
require the approval of the
Bundesrat.