1. Politics in Germany

2. Basic Law of 1949 ensure that all major parties are represented
proportional representation
traditionally used in continental Europe
ensure that only major parties are represented
avoid fragmentation in the party system of the Weimar Republic
avoid the rise of extremist small parties

3. Hybrid electoral rules
Two parts in one ballot
One part:
single-member district
candidate with plurality of vote wins
half of Bundestag members are directly elected in this manner

4. Hybrid electoral rules
Second part:
select a party at the federal level
all second votes are aggregated nationwide
proportional representation
party lists prepared before the election
5-percent rule
half of Bundestag members are elected as party representatives

5. ballot Choose one candidate from the left-hand column
Choose one party at the federal level from the right-hand column

6. Political parties on the left
Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS)
former Socialist Unity Party of East Germany
Greens/Bundnis ‘90
Greens
environment
Social Democratic Party
SPD
ruling coalition (SPD & Greens)

7. Political parties: center & right
Free Democratic Party
FDP
center
Christian Democrats
Christian Democratic Union (CDU)
Christian Social Union (CSU)
current federal chancellor
Angela Merkel (since November 2005)

8. Election results

9. SPD:        34.3  percent  (2002  38.5%)
CDU:        27.8  percent  (2002  29.5%)
CSU:          7.4  percent  (2002   9.0%)
GRÜNE:     8.1  percent  (2002   8.6%)
FDP:           9.8  percent  (2002   7.4%)
Die Linke.:  8.7  percent  (2002   4.0%)
Others:        3.9  percent  (2002   3.0%)

11. Federal Chancellor Chancellor defines government policy
Chancellor controls the Cabinet
14 federal department ministers
Chancellor recommends the formal appointment or dismissal of ministers
formal policy guidelines are legally binding
composition of Cabinet is a major issue in building a multi-party government

12. Coalition government

13. Constructive no-confidence vote
Constructive vote of no-confidence
Bundestag can remove a chancellor under the condition that
majority of Bundestag must agree on a successor
ensure continuity and initial majority support for new chancellor
makes removal of incumbent more difficult

14. Constructive no-confidence vote
succeeded only once
1982
elected Chancellor Kohl (CDU/CSU)
Kohl won 4 elections
replaced by Schroder (SPD) after 1998 election

15. Federal Constitutional Court
Reviews the constitutionality of legislation
limit the decision-making power of Bundestag
constitutional issues are brought before it
constitutional complaints files by individuals
actual court cases referred by a lower court
federal or state governments or 1/3 of Bundestag deputies can request review of law

16. U.S.
Russia
Domestic economy
Parliament
Constitutional Court
Chancellor
Cabinet
Political parties
Interest groups
Domestic culture
Domestic society
Britain
France

17. Interest groups Integral part of German political process
welcomed as necessary participants
formally involved in policy process
government contact relevant groups when formulating new policies
formal advisory role in public administration
discussion and negotiation of policy plans

18. Corporatism Cooperation between government and interest groups
social interests organized into organizations
single association represent each social sector
associations are hierarchically structured

19. Corporatism government accept associations as formal representatives
associations may participate directly in the policy process

20. Peak associations German Federation of Trade Unions
over 8 million members
11 unions
Confederation of German Employers’ Associations
80% of entrepreneurs
represents employers as negotiating partners of the trade unions

21. Organized capitalism Unique model of combining state and market
“social market economy”
blur the distinction between the public and private sector