Politics
The Federal Republic of Germany is a parliamentary democracy and has a federal structure. Germany’s political landscape is diverse and consists of many parties that are active at different levels of the political system.
Germany’s political system is governed by the Grundgesetz (Basic Law), which was adopted in 1949 after the end of the Second World War. The Bundespräsident (Federal President) is the head of state and mainly has representative duties. The government is led by the Bundeskanzler or Bundeskanzlerin (Federal Chancellor), who is elected by the Bundestag (Federal Parliament).
The Bundestag is Germany’s most important legislative body and has 709 members, who are elected every four years. The parties in the Bundestag form parliamentary groups, and the largest group normally provides the Federal Chancellor.
Germany is also a federal country, which means there are 16 Bundesländer (federal states) that have their own parliaments and governments. The federal states have their own responsibilities, but many tasks are carried out in cooperation with the federal government.
Germany’s political landscape is shaped by various parties, including the Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU), the Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD), the Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP), the Greens and the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD). In recent years the Greens and the AfD have gained in importance.
Germany also has a strong civil society and many non-governmental organisations that campaign for various causes, including environmental protection, human rights and social justice. Germany’s political culture is marked by a high degree of civic participation and a lively political debate.