Germany

Abstract

The current Constitution of Germany, the Grundgesetz, entered into force in 1949 (Act of 23 May 1949, BGBl I 1949/1). Pursuant to Art 20 the Federal Republic of Germany is a democratic and social federal state. The federal state is composed of 16 Länder, which have certain competences in legislation, administration and the judiciary. The Federal Parliament, the Deutscher Bundestag is elected by the people for a term of four years (Art 39). The Länder are represented in the Federal Council, the Bundesrat, which consists of members of the Länder Governments, which appoint and recall them (Art 50 and 51). The Federal President, the Head of State, is elected by the Federal Convention, made up of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat, for a term of five years (Art 54). The Federal Government consists of the Federal Chancellor and the Federal Ministers (Art 62). The Federal Chancellor is being elected by the Bundestag upon a proposal of the Federal President.