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Democracy and the Basic Law

Reichstagskuppel
© picture alliance/R. Goldmann
Reichstagsgebäude in der deutschen Hauptstadt Berlin Democracy History 75 years of the Federal Republic of Germany: looking back in pictures
Basic Law, the fall of the Wall, reunification, European integration, the United Nations and football festivals: looking back over 75 years of German democracy.
Garry Kasparov, Masih Alinejad und Leopoldo López bei der World Liberty Conference in Berlin Europe Berlin Freedom Week Global Alliance for Democracy
The inaugural Berlin Freedom Week brings together people from around the world who are committed to freedom and democracy.
Das Grundgesetz ist die deutsche Verfassung. Basic Law
Constitution
Germany celebrates 75 years of the Basic Law
The Federal Republic of Germany was founded with the signing of the Basic Law on 23 May 1949. The German constitution is regarded as a model for many countries.
Elena Romanova, Journalistin aus Belarus Basic Law
Freedom of the press
The high price of press freedom
Belarusian journalist Elena Romanova was forced to leave her home country twice – she found refuge in Germany with the help of the Hannah Arendt Initiative.
Rechtsanwältin Roda Verheyen Basic Law
Climate action
“Our Basic Law actually covers pretty much everything”
Protection of the environment is enshrined in Germany’s Basic Law. The lawyer Roda Verheyen is taking legal action to enforce this protection.
Discover Germany Quiz Teaser
Quiz
Quiz about Germany
Who was the first Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany?
Discover Germany Quiz Question 1
How many times has the German men’s national soccer team won the FIFA World Cup?
Discover Germany Quiz Question 2
What is the name of Germany’s highest mountain?
Discover Germany Quiz Question 3
How many people live in Germany?
Discover Germany Quiz Question 4
Which means of transport was invented in Germany in 1817?
Discover Germany Quiz Question 5
Who is the Federal Republic’s head of state?
Discover Germany Quiz Question 6
What is the name of Germany’s largest island?
Discover Germany Quiz Question 7
Which author and Nobel laureate was born in Germany in 1917?
Discover Germany Quiz Question 8
How many states (Länder) are there in Germany?
Discover Germany Quiz Question 9
A man votes in an election
© picture alliance /dpa

This is the way the federal elections work

Find out more
Ein Mann gibt seine Stimme bei einer Wahl ab. Basic Law Co-determination “Strengthen democracy by giving people many opportunities to experience democracy”
Claudine Nierth from the Mehr Demokratie association tells us how referendums and citizens’ councils can complement parliamentary elections.
Bild Basic Law Equality “The foundation for everything that followed”
The commitment of the “mothers of the Basic Law” paved the way for equal rights, says Deike Wichmann, who has written a novel on the subject.
Democracy
Germany: Living Democracy
Story
75 years of Basic Law
Overlay schließen
Story
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Professor Heiner Bielefeldt lehrt an der Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg. Basic law Human rights “The freedom of religion is essential to human dignity”
The human rights expert Heiner Bielefeldt explains why the freedom of religion is so important and why it is often misunderstood.
Andreas Voßkuhle war bis 2020 Präsident des Bundesverfassungsgerichts. Basic law Democracy Protecting human dignity is at the heart of Germany’s Basic Law
Andreas Voßkuhle, former president of the Constitutional Court, talks about the strengths of the German constitution and the global threats to democracy.
Für freie und faire Wahlen setzt Deutschland sich weltweit ein. Democracy
Promoting democracy worldwide
Projects for a free and fair future
Strengthening democracy – find out here how Germany is globally committed to human rights and good governance.
Zahlreiche Projekte in Deutschland ermöglichen jungen Menschen Partizipation. Democracy
Youth projects
Co-determination from the outset
Knowing one’s own rights - and respecting those of others. We present three projects that teach young people the value of democracy.
Ilija Trojanow Democracy
“Strengthening democracy across borders”
The author Ilija Trojanow is involved in the “Global Assembly”, which is seeking ideas for strengthening democracy worldwide.
picture-alliance/ZB - Basic Law
70 years of the Basic Law
The adoption of the Basic Law on 8 Mai 1949 marked a fresh start for Germany.
Frank-Walter Steinmeier
The future of democracy
Democracy as a form of government: read where the strength of democracy lies in an exclusive essay by Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
Deutscher Bundestag
Democracy in Germany
The Basic Law is the heart of democracy in the Federal Republic of Germany. It was only intended as a temporary measure, but has now lasted since 1949.
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Redaktion Newsroom
Why independent journalism is so important for democracy
There is no freedom without freedom of the press: Bascha Mika, editor in Chief of Frankfurter Rundschau, about the lifeblood of a free society.
Großimam und Papst VAE
Why religion and democracy have more in common than you think
Religion is an instrument for justice that makes everybody belong to a society, says Sister Agatha Ogochukwu Chikelue.
70 Jahre Grundgesetz – Feier am Brandenburger Tor im Mai 2019
The right to opportunity
The Verfassungsschüler project helps young people find out about the Basic Law and become politically engaged.
Thomas Krüger
Can ­democracy be learned?
Federal Agency for Civic Education: a former civil rights campaigner is responsible for civic education. Here you can find out whether he believes it is possible to learn democracy.
Wahlraum
The citizen is sovereign
The right to vote is considered democracy’s highest good.
Das Grundgesetz ist Deutschlands wichtigstes Buch Basic Law
Basic Law
Germany’s most important document
The German Basic Law came into effect in 1949. It was ment to be a provisional constitution. Five questions and answers.
Albert Kitzler ist Philosoph und Jurist
Article 2: Personal freedoms
Philosopher Albert Kitzler: The framework for finding your own centre.
Josef Schuster, Präsident des Zentralrats der Juden in Deutschland
Article 4: Freedom of faith and conscience
Josef Schuster: A freedom to fight for.
Katja Gloger, Vorstandsmitglied von „Reporter ohne Grenzen“
Article 5: Freedom of expression
The journalist Katja Gloger: freedom of expression is a human right.
Pauline Gihr studiert Jura Article 10: Privacy of correspondence, posts and telecommunications
The law student Pauline Gihr: So that thoughts can remain free even in times of digital communication.
Harald Siebler, Regisseur des Films „GG 19“. Article 14: Property and the right of inheritance shall be guaranteed.
The director Harald Siebler, the producer of a film about the constitution, explains why responsibility comes with ownership.
Konrad Adenauer
30 German years: 1950 – 1980
From the German Economic Miracle to RAF Terrorism: Three German decenniums. An overview.
30 German years: 1980 – 2010
From the Fall of the Wall to the reforms of the year 2000.
Atomausstieg und Energiewende prägen die 2010er-Jahre
Germany in the 2010s
The current decade at a glance: these are the topics and events that have affected people in Germany.
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