GERMANY

The EUs largest and wealthiest member.

HEAD OF STATE: Joachim Gauk (2012 )
HEAD OF GOVERNMENT: Angela Merkel (2005 )
LOWER HOUSE OF NATIONAL LEGISLATURE:
The Bundestag.
Responsible for passing all legislation and has the sole
responsibility of holding the prime minister accountable.
Though real power lies elsewhere, the Bundestag holds slightly
more power then the lower houses of Britain or France; plays a
pivotal role in determining who becomes chancellor when an
election does not yield an obvious choice.
Divided into 21 committees, each with own respective
subcommittees.
Votes cast by individual members are not made public lower
degree of party discipline.
Within the Bundestag, members elect a speaker (president), and
a broader leadership group (Council of Elders).
UPPER HOUSE OF NATIONAL LEGISLATURE:
The Bundesrat.
Was created to give Germanys sixteen states a say on the
passage of laws which would directly affect them.
Instituted in the hopes of preventing a Nazi-like regime from
reemerging; limits the power of national government.
Has 69 (lol) members who are chosen by their respective state
governments; states cast their vote as a bloc.
Plays no role in cabinet formation.
Can only delay enactment of laws which do not have direct
impact on states.
FEDERAL STRUCTURE OF THE STATE:
MOST IMPORTANT POLITICAL PARTIES:
i. Christian Democratic Union (CDU)
ii.
Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)
iii. National Socialist Democratic Workers Party (NSDAP aka Nazis)
iv.
Catholic Zentrum (Center)
v. Communist Party (KPD)