In terms of state structure, Germany can be safely called a classic example of a country of a federal order. The subjects of its federation are 16 federal states with their own constitutions, governments and legislative bodies.
Instructions
Step 1
According to its state structure, Germany is a parliamentary federal republic. The country is headed by a federal president who is elected every 5 years by the Federal Assembly, a constitutional body created primarily for this purpose.
Step 2
The German president has very limited powers, the main of which are the representation of the federal chancellor to the Bundestag and the dissolution of the lower house of parliament on the proposal of the head of government. He is also responsible for appointing to senior officer positions in the army, presenting state awards and making decisions on pardoning convicts.
Step 3
Legislative power in Germany is exercised by a bicameral parliament. The lower house of parliament is the Bundestag, and the upper house is the Bundesrat.
Step 4
The Bundestag is elected by direct vote of local voters under a majoritarian system for a term of 4 years. The main task of his activity is lawmaking at the federal level.
Step 5
Members of the Bundesrat are not elected but appointed by the governments of their federal states. It examines bills concerning the relationship between the federation and the states. Also within his competence is the consideration of bills related to the introduction of amendments to the current constitution.
Step 6
The executive branch in Germany is represented by the federal government headed by the Federal Chancellor. The main feature of the activities of the German government is that state policy by the federal ministries is not carried out independently, but through the same executive authorities of the federal states of Germany. Only the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defense are exceptions.
Step 7
In addition to ministries, the government also includes the Federal Chancellor's Office and the Media Office, which report directly to the Federal Chancellor.
