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The Legislature in German Politics
The heart of any parliamentary system of government is the legislature.
Germany has a bicameral parliament. The two chambers are the Bundestag
(Federal Diet or lower house) and the Bundesrat (Federal Council or upper
house). Both chambers can initiate legislation, and most bills must be
approved by both chambers, as well as the executive branch, before becoming
law. Legislation on issues within the exclusive jurisdiction of the federal
government, such as international treaties, does not require Bundesrat
approval.
The federal government introduces most legislation; when it does so,
the Bundesrat reviews the bill and then passes it on to the Bundestag.
If a bill originates in the Bundesrat, it is submitted to the Bundestag
through the executive branch. If the Bundestag introduces a bill, it is
sent first to the Bundesrat and, if approved there, forwarded to the executive.
The Joint Conference Committee resolves any differences over legislation
between the two legislative chambers. Once the compromise bill that emerges
from the conference committee has been approved by a majority in both
chambers and by the cabinet, it is signed into law by the federal president
and countersigned by the relevant cabinet minister.
- The
Chancellor
- The President
- Legislature
- Bundestag
- Bundesrat
- Electoral System
- Political Parties
- Extraparty Political
Forces
- Geography (lands and
capitals, climate)
- Society (population, religion,
marriage, urbanization, social structure, immigration)
- Education (elementary,
junior, senior, vocational, higher)
- Economy (the Economic
Miracle, financial system, Bundesbank, business culture)
- Politics (government,
the Chancellor, the President, parties, Bundestag)
- Mass Media (newspapers,
radio and TV)
- Armed Forces (army,
navy, air forces, police)
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