This document outlines the history and government of Germany from the 1900s to present day. It traces Germany's transition from a monarchy to a democracy after World War I and World War II, and its division and reunification after the Cold War. It then describes Germany's modern parliamentary system, with a chancellor as head of government and president as head of state, as well as its multi-party system and three branches of government: ordinary courts, administrative courts, and the powerful constitutional court.

1. By Colin,
Kundai,
Lukas &
Michael

2. 
1900s

Otto von Bismarck

Monarch

WWI

3. 
1919 new democracy

War reparations, economic slump

1929 Great Depression

Adolf Hitler, authoritarian rule

The Third Reich

WWII

4. 
East and West split

1961 Berlin Wall

1990 unification

Western influence on the Constitution

Parliament, federal system

Decentralization

5. 
Parliamentary
government

Unusual form of
Parliamentarianism

Chancellor cannot
dissolve the Bundestag

Stronger checks and
balances between the 3
powers

6. 
Needs the confidence of the Bundestag’s
majority

Appoints Cabinet Ministers

Defines how many ministries the Cabinet has

Cannot dismiss the legislature and call for
elections

Is susceptible to be removed by the Bundestag
(constructive no-confidence vote)

7. 
Elected by the federal convention

Not just a ceremonial post

Appoints government and military officials

Signs treaties and laws

Nominates the Bundestag’s chancellor

8. 
Multiparty system

Strong party identification

Dominated by CDU and SDU

Christian Democratic Union (Conservative)

Social Democratic Party of Germany (leftist)

Greens (1980s)

9. 
A system of courts that interprets and applies
the law

Civil law is based on collection of statutes as
opposed to common law

10. 
Ordinary Court

Administrative Court

Constitutional Court

11. 
Hears criminal cases

Most legal disputes

State and Local Courts are administered at the
state-level

Federal Court of Justice is the national-level
ordinary court

All of these courts apply the same legal codes

12. 
Hears cases in specialized areas
› Administrative complaints against
government agencies
› Tax matters
› Claims involving social programs
› Labor management disputes

These specialized courts exist on both the state
and federal level

13. 
Reviews the constitutionality of legislation

Mediates disputes between levels of
government

Protects the constitution and democratic order

14. 
Completely
independent from
executive branch

Longstanding
tradition

15. 
Constitutional Court has the ability to review
constitutionality of legislation and void laws
that violate basic law

Issues can be brought by
› Direct citizen appeal (+90% in this manner)
› Government Request

16. 
Current challenges

Problems

Long term trends

17. 





Court image 123rf.com
Flag image zazzle.com
Head of State image bundesregierung.de
Map image alternatehistory.com
Modern Germany image thenextweb.com
Scale image dw.de