Ok, I am sorry to say, but I have never really paid attention to German politics.
And I just asked my German colleagues to explain to me how it all works...
I know of the Parties (SPU, CDU etc). I know who represents each party.
Since I have a right to vote, it would be great if someone could explain the following:
1) Does one "win" in the election...from the sound of it, you just get so and so many seats. Is this correct?
2) How is the Bundeskanzler choosen?
3) Who makes the decisions on German policies?
Help ! Sorry!
- Chris
Germany's English-speaking crowd
In association with The Local
In association with The Local
Advertisements:
A dummy's guide to German politics
For those who have no idea how it works
Pages: 1 2
You have two votes in the coming election: One for the party and one for the direct candidate of your district. If your direct candidate is elected then the votes for the party can accummulate and give that party another few mandates. The Chancellor is elected by the Bundestag (parliament). German elections are truly democratic, being direct, simultaneous, secret, equal and free.
Head of state, however, is the Bundespräsident with very limited political power. At the moment, this is Horst Köhler, former head of the International Monetary Fund, CDU (right-wing). The Reichspräsident was so powerful during the Weimarer Republik that the Federal Republic curtailed his authority drastically. He can no longer dissolve the parliament, sack the Chancellor and govern the country with Emergency Acts and is more a political figurehead than politician. As such he is elected by the Bundesversammlung, a conglomerate of MP's, other politicians and influential personalities such as actors and soccer-players (seriously!).
Head of state, however, is the Bundespräsident with very limited political power. At the moment, this is Horst Köhler, former head of the International Monetary Fund, CDU (right-wing). The Reichspräsident was so powerful during the Weimarer Republik that the Federal Republic curtailed his authority drastically. He can no longer dissolve the parliament, sack the Chancellor and govern the country with Emergency Acts and is more a political figurehead than politician. As such he is elected by the Bundesversammlung, a conglomerate of MP's, other politicians and influential personalities such as actors and soccer-players (seriously!).
Thanks!!!
- Chris
- Chris
. German elections are truly democratic
[right]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/right]
that is debateable depends on your definition of true democracy. The people never end up with the policies of the party they voted for, even those that voted for the largest party, but a hashed-out compromise post-election. Now, if you were then able to vote again on the compromise deal of the coalition, I would see it as more democratic. As it is, what you end up with in government is never what anybody actually voted for. But that is one of the downfalls of proportional misreprentation.
[right]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/right]
As such he is elected by the Bundesversammlung
[right]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/right]
correct[right]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/right]
, a conglomerate of MP's, other politicians and influential personalities such as actors and soccer-players (seriously!).
[right]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/right]
are you sure about that? I though the Bundesversammlung was the Members of the Bundestag (lower chamber, members voted directly by the populous) and the Bundesrat (uppper chamber, members elected by the parliaments of the individual Länder). I was of the understanding that it was just these two groups that voted for the Bundespräsident.[right]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/right]
edit:
Die Bundesversammlung wählt nach Artikel 54 Absatz 1 Satz 1 des Grundgesetzes den Bundespräsidenten der Bundesrepublik Deutschland. Sie besteht aus den Bundestagsabgeordneten und ebenso vielen von den 16 Landesparlamenten nach dem Verhältniswahlrecht gewählten Vertretern, die nicht Politiker oder Landtagsabgeordnete sein müssen. Jedes ihrer Mitglieder darf Kandidaten für das Amt des Bundespräsidenten vorschlagen.
Laut Verfassung tritt die Bundesversammlung spätestens 30 Tage vor Ende der Amtszeit eines Bundespräsidenten zusammen – seit 1979 traditionell am 23. Mai, dem Tag der Verkündung des Grundgesetzes (23. Mai 1949). Der Bundestagspräsident hat den Vorsitz der Bundesversammlung inne. Abgesehen von der Wahl des Bundespräsidenten hat die Bundesversammlung keine weiteren Aufgaben.
Die Mitglieder der Bundesversammlung genießen von dem Zeitpunkt, an dem sie ihre Wahl zum Wahlmann annehmen, bis zum Zusammentreten der Bundesversammlung Immunität. Da die Bundesversammlung nur einmal tagt, kann nach Auffassung des Deutschen Bundestags über die Aufhebung dieser Immunität, abweichend von den üblichen Gepflogenheiten, nicht nur die Bundesversammlung selbst entscheiden, sondern auch der Bundestag. Es gibt hierzu allerdings keine explizite Regelung. Am 2. April 2004 erfolgte durch Beschluss des Bundestags die Aufhebung der Immunität des Berliner Mitglieds Peter Strieder, am 29. April 2004 die des Baden-Württembergers Dr. Walter Döring.
Am 17. April 2004 verstarb die Bundestagsabgeordnete Anke Hartnagel. Da es sich um ein Überhangmandat handelte, bei denen kein Nachrücken erfolgt, reduzierte sich damit die Zahl der Bundestagsabgeordneten.
Die letzte Zusammenkunft der Bundesversammlung war am 23. Mai 2004, in der Horst Köhler zum neuen Bundespräsidenten mit 604 von 1205 Stimmen gewählt wurde.
Die erste Bundesversammlung fand am 12. September 1949 in Bonn statt. Von 1954 bis 1969 tagte sie in der Ostpreussenhalle auf dem Messegelände unter dem Berliner Funkturm. Dabei kam es zu regelmäßigen Protesten der DDR-Regierung. Am 5. März 1969 ließ die Sowjetunion während der Bundesversammlung mehrere MiG-21-Jagdflugzeuge mit Überschallgeschwindigkeit über West-Berlin fliegen. Von 1974 bis 1989 fand die Bundesversammlung in der Beethovenhalle in Bonn statt. Seit 1994 wird sie im Berliner Reichstagsgebäude durchgeführt.
Siehe auch: Politisches System Deutschlands, Bundespräsidentenwahl: Übersicht über die einzelnen Wahlen
Laut Verfassung tritt die Bundesversammlung spätestens 30 Tage vor Ende der Amtszeit eines Bundespräsidenten zusammen – seit 1979 traditionell am 23. Mai, dem Tag der Verkündung des Grundgesetzes (23. Mai 1949). Der Bundestagspräsident hat den Vorsitz der Bundesversammlung inne. Abgesehen von der Wahl des Bundespräsidenten hat die Bundesversammlung keine weiteren Aufgaben.
Die Mitglieder der Bundesversammlung genießen von dem Zeitpunkt, an dem sie ihre Wahl zum Wahlmann annehmen, bis zum Zusammentreten der Bundesversammlung Immunität. Da die Bundesversammlung nur einmal tagt, kann nach Auffassung des Deutschen Bundestags über die Aufhebung dieser Immunität, abweichend von den üblichen Gepflogenheiten, nicht nur die Bundesversammlung selbst entscheiden, sondern auch der Bundestag. Es gibt hierzu allerdings keine explizite Regelung. Am 2. April 2004 erfolgte durch Beschluss des Bundestags die Aufhebung der Immunität des Berliner Mitglieds Peter Strieder, am 29. April 2004 die des Baden-Württembergers Dr. Walter Döring.
Am 17. April 2004 verstarb die Bundestagsabgeordnete Anke Hartnagel. Da es sich um ein Überhangmandat handelte, bei denen kein Nachrücken erfolgt, reduzierte sich damit die Zahl der Bundestagsabgeordneten.
Die letzte Zusammenkunft der Bundesversammlung war am 23. Mai 2004, in der Horst Köhler zum neuen Bundespräsidenten mit 604 von 1205 Stimmen gewählt wurde.
Die erste Bundesversammlung fand am 12. September 1949 in Bonn statt. Von 1954 bis 1969 tagte sie in der Ostpreussenhalle auf dem Messegelände unter dem Berliner Funkturm. Dabei kam es zu regelmäßigen Protesten der DDR-Regierung. Am 5. März 1969 ließ die Sowjetunion während der Bundesversammlung mehrere MiG-21-Jagdflugzeuge mit Überschallgeschwindigkeit über West-Berlin fliegen. Von 1974 bis 1989 fand die Bundesversammlung in der Beethovenhalle in Bonn statt. Seit 1994 wird sie im Berliner Reichstagsgebäude durchgeführt.
Siehe auch: Politisches System Deutschlands, Bundespräsidentenwahl: Übersicht über die einzelnen Wahlen
Wow! @keydeck what a website! You guys are good!
Thanks!
- Chris
Thanks!
- Chris
Just to clarify slightly what Sarabyrd said.
The first and second votes are ENTIRELY separate.
With your first vote you elect a local MdB that represents your area on a first past the post system. The candidate with the most votes wins the seat. All the other first votes are thrown away. All the MdBs elected on first votes (and they are obviously mostly CDU/CSU and SPD) go into the Bundestag.
However it is the SECOND vote that actually decides the make up of the Bundestag. Whichever individual candidate you voted for on the first vote, you can vote for a different PARTY on the 2nd vote. As long as a party gains 5% of all votes cast nationally or at least 3 direct seats from the first vote then they are awarded seats in the Bundestag up to that % from party lists in the individual states.
So there isn’t a fixed number of seats in the Bundestag. Extra seats are created which are “Überhangsmandate� because obviously the first and second votes don’t match.
The 3 smaller parties (FDP, Green, Linkspartei) don’t win many first seats so they always go for a final push to get second votes at the end of the campaign. The voters are VERY well aware of how to manipulate the system to tweak results and the smaller parties play on that.
Although OG is partly correct to say that a fair bit of the manifesto on which people voted gets lost in discussion of coalitions I still think it is a very democratic system (apart from the fact it excludes 10% of the population, 25-30% in Munich, who can’t get German citizenship) The system returns stable governments that reflect a broad range of opinion as opposed to Britain or the USA where governments follow a clear strong line but don’t have to pay any attention to opinions other than their own.
The Bundesversammlung that elects the Bundespräsident is made up of the members of the Bundestag and an EQUAL number of members representing the states. Because the staets don’t have the same number of elected members they appoint new members (the footballers and actors etc) to make a body of electors that reflects the political make up of each state parliament.
The first and second votes are ENTIRELY separate.
With your first vote you elect a local MdB that represents your area on a first past the post system. The candidate with the most votes wins the seat. All the other first votes are thrown away. All the MdBs elected on first votes (and they are obviously mostly CDU/CSU and SPD) go into the Bundestag.
However it is the SECOND vote that actually decides the make up of the Bundestag. Whichever individual candidate you voted for on the first vote, you can vote for a different PARTY on the 2nd vote. As long as a party gains 5% of all votes cast nationally or at least 3 direct seats from the first vote then they are awarded seats in the Bundestag up to that % from party lists in the individual states.
So there isn’t a fixed number of seats in the Bundestag. Extra seats are created which are “Überhangsmandate� because obviously the first and second votes don’t match.
The 3 smaller parties (FDP, Green, Linkspartei) don’t win many first seats so they always go for a final push to get second votes at the end of the campaign. The voters are VERY well aware of how to manipulate the system to tweak results and the smaller parties play on that.
Although OG is partly correct to say that a fair bit of the manifesto on which people voted gets lost in discussion of coalitions I still think it is a very democratic system (apart from the fact it excludes 10% of the population, 25-30% in Munich, who can’t get German citizenship) The system returns stable governments that reflect a broad range of opinion as opposed to Britain or the USA where governments follow a clear strong line but don’t have to pay any attention to opinions other than their own.
The Bundesversammlung that elects the Bundespräsident is made up of the members of the Bundestag and an EQUAL number of members representing the states. Because the staets don’t have the same number of elected members they appoint new members (the footballers and actors etc) to make a body of electors that reflects the political make up of each state parliament.
I just read this superb piece about German politics. I'm still trying to get my head around the complexities, but it would seem that the Germans are in a kind of political-economic depression... a depression moreover in the collective way of thinking.
In the various interviews in the article, they (the Germans) appear scared of an uncertain future under either the CDU/CSU or the SPD. But, they know that a change has got to come in some form.
Only a minority of those at the top of the ladder want to see the confrontational politics and pain of a German Thatcherism, and the feeling isn't widespread at the grassroots level of conservatives. Likewise, the SPD supporters know that they will have to get something done or it may be a long time before they see serious political office again. All other parties are merely hoping to make gains enough to have a louder voice.
It would seem to me that a certain level of confrontational politics inside the Bundestag and Bundesrat is stagnating progress towards passing changes in laws to get the ball rolling. Maybe a Grand Coalition would actually be the best result the nation could hope for and, that all sides have to sit down, work out a compromise, and finally get something done.
In the various interviews in the article, they (the Germans) appear scared of an uncertain future under either the CDU/CSU or the SPD. But, they know that a change has got to come in some form.
Only a minority of those at the top of the ladder want to see the confrontational politics and pain of a German Thatcherism, and the feeling isn't widespread at the grassroots level of conservatives. Likewise, the SPD supporters know that they will have to get something done or it may be a long time before they see serious political office again. All other parties are merely hoping to make gains enough to have a louder voice.
It would seem to me that a certain level of confrontational politics inside the Bundestag and Bundesrat is stagnating progress towards passing changes in laws to get the ball rolling. Maybe a Grand Coalition would actually be the best result the nation could hope for and, that all sides have to sit down, work out a compromise, and finally get something done.
Also interesting to read this cross-thread on us lot becoming citizens:
British citizens: how to become German and vote
Sounds like those of us from the UK should be allowed to have dual-citizenship. Subject to the 8 year naturlization rule:
http://www.bmi.bund.de/cln_012/nn_122730/I...gerung__en.html
As well as being able to vote I would get some perverse pleasure when people ask where I am from saying "Germany" :-)
I must say that as we cannot any longer vote in the UK, and cannot vote here in GERMANY...this seems very uneuropean and undemocratic. So it's us and prisoners that are not allowed to vote huh?
British citizens: how to become German and vote
Sounds like those of us from the UK should be allowed to have dual-citizenship. Subject to the 8 year naturlization rule:
http://www.bmi.bund.de/cln_012/nn_122730/I...gerung__en.html
As well as being able to vote I would get some perverse pleasure when people ask where I am from saying "Germany" :-)
I must say that as we cannot any longer vote in the UK, and cannot vote here in GERMANY...this seems very uneuropean and undemocratic. So it's us and prisoners that are not allowed to vote huh?
Sounds like those of us from the UK should be allowed to have dual-citizenship. [right]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/right]
Also Irish Citizens, except that in Bayern, the state government has instructed local authorities not to carry out the process. Officially becasue they have "not been informed" of the reciprocality but basicly becasue they are opposed to the idea of dual-citizenship, or indeed anyone becoming a German citizen full stop.
The official word from the Bavarian Interior Ministryis to "wait and see what happens and maybe we will allow applications in a few months...
I must say that as we cannot any longer vote in the UK, and cannot vote here in GERMANY...this seems very uneuropean and undemocratic. So it's us and prisoners that are not allowed to vote huh?
[right]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/right]
You could always become a German citizen, if it bothers you that much.
[right]<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/right]
WE CAN'T as the the Bavarian State Government is refusing to implement the federal law.
I don't mean dual nationality, I mean become a German. Ditch your British passport, be entitled to wear Lederhosen, the whole works!
You could always become a German citizen, if it bothers you that much.
I am confused??? Are you being funny? The issue is that we cannot become citizens, and certainly not before 8 years at the very least.So even if I say here and now I wanna be 100% German, burn my UK passport etc, then I am still in no-mans-land for 8 years without a vote anywhere on the planet. (but I get the tax bill of course!).
Pages: 1 2
You are viewing a low fidelity version of this page. Click to view the full page.