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Information about Germany

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Political System

Federalism

(incl. political map, clickable?)

Election Law

for Elections (from FES Korea; f.ex. link from List of Events (Incomings) to this page): Elections in Germany: The following sites provide information about results of elections to the national and state parliaments from 1990 to 2003.

German Bundestag

The Deputies are elected in general, direct, free, equal and secret elections. The Bundestag is elected for a four-year term. The active and passive voting age is 18 years. The electoral system in Germany is based on a "personalised proportionality rule with a five percent threshold".

State Parliaments

The Deputies to the State Parliaments are elected in general, direct, free, equal and secret elections. The electoral systems in the 16 states differ to some extent: the electoral period is either 4 or 5 years, the active voting age is 18, the passive voting age is either 18 or 21, and the voting system is either a pure proportionality rule or a personalized proportionality rule.

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German-Pakistan Relations

Germany and Pakistan have a tradition of good and amicable relations. Germany reaffirmed its interest in democratic and stable development in Pakistan with the visits to the capital by Federal Foreign Minister Fischer in July and Chancellor Schröder in October 2004. The two countries’ foreign ministries hold regular bilateral policy consultations, most recently in February 2004 in Berlin. Since January 2003, Germany and Pakistan have been working together closely as members of the United Nations Security Council.

Pakistani Prime Minister Mr. Shaukat Aziz visited Berlin from 11th to 13th July, 2005

Pakistani Prime Minister Mr. Shaukat Aziz met Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schröder and Federal Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer in separate meetings. The talks focussed on bilateral and international issues and on the current situation in the region.

The earthquake which shook the Kashmir region on October 8th killed more than 58.000 and injured 79.000 people in Pakistan alone. 3 million people have been affected by the catastrophe. The international community is providing emergency relief and will support Pakistan in the task of reconstructing towns and villages that have been destroyed.

Devastating Earthquake in Pakistan:

Germany is providing humanitarian aid and will help Pakistan in its efforts to reconstruct the affected area. Many German relief organisations, the German Federal Agency for Technical Relief and the German army are currently engaged in relief activities in Pakistan So far the Federal Government provided over 26 million Euros (over 31 Million US$) value of funds, services and in kind donations. The German contribution to emergency assistance plegded by the EU amounts to 2.85 Million Euros (3.43 million US$). 20 million Euros have been donated by the German people for relief to the earthquake survivors. The EU Commission has announced that an additional 80 million Euros (96 million US$) be made available for reconstruction. The German contribution to this would amount to 20 million US $. For further information visit the link below

German-Pakistan Relations

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Conflict analysis

The 2004 edition of Facts About Germany is now available online

Facts about Germany

Latest Information from Germany

"Deutschland" Online

The challenge of globalization for Germany's social democracy : a policy agenda for the twenty-first century / ed. by Dieter Dettke. - New York [u.a.] : Berghahn, 1998. - VIII, 262 S.. - (International political currents ; 4)
ISBN 1-57181-180-X
Book number(s): A 99-7; A 99-8

Germany's new right : revival of nationalism or call for normalcy? ; Contributions to a Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung seminar on December 4, 1996, Washington, D.C. / Jacob Heilbrunn ... [Ed. by Dieter Dettke ...]. - Washington, D.C. : Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Washington Office, 1997. - 64 S.
ISBN 0-9647348-2-6
Book number(s): A 97-5638; A 97-5639

Asopa, Dev N.
The Social Democratic Party of Germany (1863-1980). - o.O., 1980
Book number(s): C 81-1397

After Hitler / publ. for the Wiener Library. - 2. impr.. - London : Vallentine [u.a.], 1965
Book number(s): A 11520; AKO 19839

After the wall / ed. by Patricia J. Smith. - Boulder, Colo. : Westview Press, 1998
Book number(s): A 99-1700

Alvarez Somoza, Francisco
Germany / Francisco Alvarez Somoza. - In: Revista de estudios europeos. - ISSN 0864-3822. - 62 = 19, (2002), Sept.-Dec., S. 65 - 74
Book number(s): X 3553

Aris, Reinhold
History of political thought in Germany. - 1. publ.. - London : Allen & Unwin, 1936
Book number(s): A 85-6216

Arndt, Hans-Joachim
West Germany / Hans-Joachim Arndt. - 1. ed. - Syracuse, NY : Syracuse Univ. Press, 1966
Book number(s): A 67226

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Update on Germany

Football - World Cup 2006 in Germany

On June 8, 2006 begins the FIFA World Cup in Germany. Here you will find all you have to know about this international event.

· Germany 2006 - Official website of the German government

· Soccer 2006 in Germany

· A time to make friends

· FIFA World Cup 2006 Germany

Party assemblies give final approval for Merkel led coalition

Designated German chancellor Angela Merkel received a green light

Monday for her government after all three coalition parties approved a marriage of the country's main political blocs. Merkel's Christian Democratic Union (CDU), the Bavarian Christian Social Union (CSU) and outgoing chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Social Democrats (SPD) overwhelmingly voted in favour of the coalition pact. The three parties will on Friday sign the 150-page coalition agreement which is aimed at a four-year government. Merkel is due to be formally elected by parliament as Germany's first woman chancellor on November 22.
"I know full well the path will not be easy," said Merkel in a speech thanking her party for backing what is likely to be an awkward alliance of her conservatives with the left-leaning SPD. Seeking to deflect disappointment over the coalition deal Merkel told the CDU she would stand firm on policies rejected by Schroeder's party. "Politics is not the art of what you simply desire ... but rather the art of what is possible," said Merkel at the CDU's Berlin congress, adding: "We would have liked to achieve more." Outgoing SPD chief Franz Muentefering, who will serve as Merkel's vice-chancellor and labour minister, told SPD leaders in Karlsruhe the coalition accord was neither "a radical free market programme" nor a "purebred SPD programme". "But street mongrels are sometimes better able to accomplish things," said Muentefering who is known for his earthy language. Outgoing Chancellor Schroeder, who strongly backs the new government although he will not serve under Merkel, urged his SPD to back the new government with their hearts and minds. Schroeder said the SPD would never give up its identity but that it was vital for the party to back the grand coalition in order to tackle the country's economic problems. "I strongly advise you not to try to pretend this was just forced upon us," said Schroeder who has ruled Germany from 1998 to 2005 with an SPD-Greens government.

Source: dpa

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Links

SPD Resources

Parliamentary Group of the Social Democratic Party of Germany - SPD-Fraktion

Social Democratic Party of Germany - Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD)

Beschlüsse des Parteitags der SPD in Bochum vom 17.bis 19. November 2003

Koalitionsvertrag zwischen SPD und Bündnis 90/Die Grünen vom 16. Oktober 2002

Grundsatzprogramm vom 20. Dezember 1989 in Berlin.

Godesberger Programm vom 15. November 1959.

Resources on Trade Unions in Germany

Hans-Böckler-Stiftung