German politics today

Abstract:

'German politics today' surveys the German political system, based on current information covering the period since the 1998 Bundestag election and the new coalition government under Chancellor Schröder. A concise survey of the historical background to the present-day political system, including the steps that led to German reunification in 1990, is followed by analysis of the institutions of political participation and the institutions of government. Four important characteristics of Germany's political system are emphasised: the way in which history, especially that of the twentieth century, has shaped the political system; the stability and adaptability of that system; the unusual importance within the political system of legal rules and the significance of Germany's association with European integration. The book does not seek to cover policy sectors, such as the economy or foreign affairs, in any great detail, referring the reader to other books and articles in further reading sections at the end of each chapter. Rather it offers an overview of the principal features of the German political system.

Chapters cover: The creation of present-day Germany; The context of politics in reunified Germany; The development of the political system of the Federal Republic; The electoral system and electoral politics; The party-state; The federal structure; Chancellor democracy; Parliamentary politics; Interest-group politics; Germany; and Europe and Germany: a 'normal' democracy? Appendices outline relevant court cases and give brief profiles of each of the German Länder, or states. The book will appeal to those studying undergraduate courses on German politics, in addition to providing a valuable resource for those studying comparative European political systems.