The German State
What tasks are the governmental agencies and offices responsible for in Germany and in Europe? Here you will find links to the state, politics and democracy. And you can also contact public authorities and take advantage of services for the citizens.
bund.de - Administration Online
This is where you can find information on current tenders for bids, job offers or real estate available in the public sector. And then there is also news on the Federal Chancellor, the various Federal Ministries and the Federal Press Office on a single portal. bund.de – Administration Online is the central address for all types of information about the different government agencies and public institutions in Germany.
www.bund.de/cln_134/EN/Home/homepage_node.html
Federal Chancellor
Every four years, the citizens of Germany decide anew who will represent them in their parliament, the German Bundestag. The State President proposes a candidate to the parliament to be elected as the Federal Chancellor. In order to win the election, a candidate requires an absolute majority of the votes cast in the parliament. Dr. Angela Merkel is the first woman to ever hold the office of Federal Chancellor in Germany. She was elected in November 2005 and now governs the course of politics in the country.
Federal President
The German head of state is elected for a five year term by the Federal Electoral Assembly, and can be reelected once. The Federal President (Bundespräsident) represents the Federation under international law and swears in the diplomatic representatives. At the Chancellor’s suggestion he appoints the federal ministers, federal judges and federal officials – and nominates the Federal Chancellor for election by Parliament.
Federal Council
The Federal Council (Bundesrat) is the federate constitutional organ in Germany, an additional legislative organ alongside the Federal Parliament. Federal laws which affect the responsibilities of the German states must be passed by the Bundesrat. Through the Bundesrat, the 16 sates of Germany also play a role in the federal administration of the country and in European affairs. Members of the Bundesrat are appointed by the state governments.
The Federal Government (Portal)
Dr. Angela Merkel has been the Chancellor of Germany, controlling the course of German politics since 2005. She has chosen 15 ministers with whom she forms the federal government - the “Cabinet“. The federal government is an executive constitutional body that operates on the basis of the chancellor, the colleague and the department principle.
www.bundesregierung.de/Webs/Breg/EN/Homepage/_node.html
Federal Constitutional Court
The Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht, BverfG) in Karlsruhe monitors the adherence to the Basic Law. It is the supreme organ of constitutional jurisdiction, politically independent from all other constitutional organs. It is activated only on application. Decisions by the BverfG are non-appealable and binding for all other organs of state.
www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de
German Bundestag
Every four years German citizens elect their representatives in the strongest constitutional organ of the Federal Republic of Germany: the German Bundestag (parliament) debates and passes legislation, elects the Chancellor, monitors the work of the government, makes budget decisions and decides on whether or not to deploy troops abroad. The MPs have been meeting in the Reichstag Building in Berlin since 1999, a venue that attracts visitors from near and far in the country’s capital city.
