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This book offers a systematic, theory-based, and empirically grounded introduction to the political system of Germany. Compared to other textbooks on government and politics in Germany, it has two particular benefits. First, it analyzes the individual dimensions of the German political system from a uniform theoretical perspective based on the well-known distinction between majoritarian and consensus democracy. Second, it particularly explains how political decision-making in the multi-level system takes place, including the local, state, federal as well as EU levels. This way, the book provides a comprehensive, detailed, and clear picture of how German democracy is organized and how it works.
Florian Grotz is Professor of Comparative Government at the Helmut Schmidt University Hamburg, Germany.
Wolfgang Schroeder is Professor of the Political System of Germany at the University of Kassel and Fellow at the Berlin Social Science Center (WZB), Germany.
Preface
1. The Political System of the Federal Republic of Germany: Analytical and Historical Foundations
1.1. Analytical Framework: The Political System between Majoritarian and Consensus Democracy
1.3. The Book's Outline
Abstract: The introductory chapter presents the analytical and historical foundations which we use in this textbook to explore the structures and processes of the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany. We explain our understanding of a democratic system of government and how political will formation and decision-making is organized within this system. We then reconstruct the major phases in the development of the Federal Republic with regard to its social, economic and international context. Finally, we present an overview of the structural characteristics of the German system of government.
2. The Basic Law: The Constitutional Framework
2.1. Between Provisional Arrangement and Complete Constitution: The Formation of the Basic Law
2.2. Structure and Development of the Basic Law
2.3. The Basic Law between Länder Constitutions and European Law
2.4. Flexible or Rigid Constitution?
Abstract: The Basic Law is the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany. Conceived in 1949 as a provisional arrangement, it still forms the constitutional foundation of German democracy. To what extent has the Basic Law proven to be a constitutional framework fostering political stability and flexibility?
3. The European Union: The Supranational Framework
3.2. The Political System of the EU: Elements of a Multi-level Democracy
3.3. The Europeanization of German Politics: Policy Shaping and Implementation
Abstract: This chapter describes the European constitutional and political framework in which the German democracy is embedded. It demonstrates to what extent the EU restricts domestic policy-making and also explains how the EU expands the room for maneuver of the democratically legitimized actors. Finally, it discusses different reform options which could improve democratic governance in the European multi-level system.
4. Bund and Länder: Cooperative Federalism
4.1. The Federal Order: Distribution of Powers and Fiscal Federalism
4.2. Federal Governance between Interlocked Decision-Making and Structural Dynamics
4.3. Horizontal Cooperation between the Länder
4.4. Functional or Immobile State Organization?
Abstract: Federalism is a structural principle of the Basic Law. Bund (federal level) and Länder (states) cooperate in most policy areas. Does German federalism constitute a functional framework for democratic governance or an immobile state organization which needs fundamental change?
5. Elections and the Electoral System: The Foundation of Representative Democracy
5.1. Electoral Law and Electoral System
5.3. Parliamentary Elections in the Multi-level System
5.4. Proportional and Concentrated Representation?
Abstract: Elections are the institutional core of representative democracy. Central to the chapter is the question to what extent parliamentary elections in Germany contribute to an adequate political representation of citizens.
6. Parties and Party System: The Organizational Core of Representative Democracy
6.2. The Federal Party System: Structure and Development
6.3. German Parties in the European Multi-level System
Abstract: Political parties are the organizational core of representative democracy. The chapter explains to what extent the parties in Germany succeed in integrating the multitude of societal interests into the democratic decision-making process while, simultaneously, shaping government policies efficiently.
7.1. Interest Groups: Legal Foundations and Internal Organization
7.2. Lobbying, Pluralism and Corporatism: Striving for Political Influence
7.4. Pillar of Democratic Governance or Threat to the Common Good?
Abstract: What role do interest groups play in the German political system: Do they promote its functionality through their integrative power, or do they endanger the common good by pursuing their self-interests? The chapter provides an overview of the diversity of interest groups in Germany and describes their internal structures. The concept of lobbying as well as the distinction between pluralism and corporatism are central when characterizing the modes of political influence by organized interests and the relationship between interest groups and the government.
8. Media and Media System: Establishing the Public Sphere
8.1. Mass Media: Organizational Structures and Legal Regulation
8.2. Media and Politics: A Complex Relationship
8.3. German Media and European Integration
8.4. Pluralistic and Autonomous Media in the Digital Age?
Abstract: Mass media are indispensable for democratic governance because they set up the public sphere and control and oversee the political process and political actors. The chapter explains how the German media system works in view of an increasingly polarized society and the growing importance of social media.
9. The German Bundestag: The Legislator
9.2. The Internal Organization of the Bundestag
9.3. The Political Performance of the Bundestag
9.5. "Heart of Democracy" or Marginalized Institution?
Abstract: The chapter explains how the Bundestag is embedded into the German system of parliamentary democracy. It then provides insights into the parliament's internal organization by explaining the plenary and committee structure, the relationship between individual MPs and party groups as well as the parliament's administration. The Bundestag's performance is evaluated on the basis of a catalogue of four main functions and in light of Europeanization process.
10. The Federal Government and the Federal President: The Dual Executive
10.1. Chancellor, Cabinet and Ministries: The Institutional Framework and Organizational Structure of the Federal Government
10.2. Governing between Chancellor Democracy and Coalition Management
10.3. The Federal Government in the European Multi-level System
10.4. The Federal President: Between Impartial Authority and Political Institution
10.5. Balance of Executive Power and Integrating Capacity?
11. The Bundesrat: The Federal Chamber
11.1. Institutional Powers and Organizational Characteristics
11.2. Policy-making between Länder Interests and Party Politics
11.3. The Bundesrat in the European Multi-level System
11.4. Effective Representation of Länder Interests or Obstructive Veto Player?
12. The Federal Constitutional Court: The Supreme Judicial Review
12.1. Institutional Powers and Organizational Characteristics
12.2. The FCC between Politicization and Judicialization
12.3. Constitutional Review in the European Multi-level System
12.4. Neutral Guardian or Politicized Court?
Abstract: The Federal Constitutional Court is the supreme institution of judicial review, as it interprets the Basic Law with ultimate binding effect. Thus, it restricts the parliamentary majority's leeway and contributes to the consensual character of the German political system. Does the FCC preserve the constitutional foundations of German democracy as a neutral guardian or does it proactively influence political decision-making?
13.1. The German Länder: History and Society
13.2. Political Institutions
13.4. The Länder in the European Multi-level System
13.5. Homogeneous or Diverse Patterns of Democracy?
Abstract: The 16 German Länder have autonomous constitutional powers and can independently shape policies in their own realm. The chapter explains how the Länder systems of government combine specific features of majoritarian and consensus democracy, how their institutional settings differ from the federal level, and whether politics and governance in the Länder are characterized by homogeneity or diversity.
14. Politics and Administration at the Local Level
14.2. Political Participation and Decision-Making at the Local Level
14.3. The Quadriga of Local Governance
14.5. Nucleus of Democracy or Crisis of Self-Government?
Abstract: Municipalities constitute the lowest level of the German political system. The chapter explains to what extent German municipalities succeed in combining inclusive political decision-making with effective local governance.
15. Resilient Democracy? The German Political System under Scrutiny
15.1. From Role Model towards Crisis of Democracy
15.2. Between Path Dependency and Transformational Dynamics: Ten Theses on Democratic Performance
15.3. What Does It Take to Strengthen Democratic Resilience?
Abstract: The concluding chapter focuses on the ability of the German political system to perform even under difficult conditions (resilience). Ten theses reflect on the current conditions of democratic governance between path dependency and transformational dynamics. Fundamental changes of the international and domestic environment require both institutional reforms and political action in order to make German democracy "crisis resilient".
