Britain & the Federal Republic of Germany Parliament and the Executive

Political Science Seminar Series Enforcing NAFO Regulations: A European Union Perspective Michele Del Zompo Senior Coordinator of Control Operations with the (EU) Community Fisheries Control Agency 3:00 pm Friday, November 16th AA1045

Research papers: Due Friday, November 30 th _____________ Final exam Saturday, Dec. 8 th 9:00-11:00 AA1043

Party system: A moderate multiparty system: 3-5 parties represented in the Bundestag Parties disagree on extent of government intervention, as well as foreign policy, but Substantial areas of agreement: –Commitment to social market economy, welfare state

The Chancellor Constitutional position – strong: Elected by the Bundestag (lower house) Appoints the cabinet Constitutionally charged with responsibility for overall government policy Can only be removed through a positive vote of non-confidence (Bundestag must elect a replacement)

Limits on the chancellor’s power Basic law gives cabinet ministers constitutional responsibility for their own departments Plus political limits…

Political limits: Multiparty politics Coalition government: In order get power, a chancellor must share power –example current cabinet – a Grand Coalition of SPD &CDU Need to pilot legislation through both the Bundestag (lower house) and the Bundesrat (Federal Council) in which laender (provincial governments) have a veto

German Chancellors Relatively few occupants: Konrad Adenauer – CDU ( ) Ludwig Erhard – CDU ( ) Kurt Kiesinger – CDU ( ) Willie Brandt – SPD ( ) Helmut Schmidt – SPD ( ) Helmut Kohl – CDU ( ) Gerhard Schroeder – SPD ( ) Angela Merkel – CDU (2005-present)

Chancellors and their power: Political position: Typically: –leader of the largest party –Winner of the last election Position within cabinet: –Unlike British PM, unable to shuffle at will –However, strong backing from the chancellery – like the Cabinet Secretariat, a strong central agency Need to maintain political authority within his party and the country as a whole

Stronger and weaker chancellors: Stronger: Adenauer Schmidt Kohl Middling: Kiesinger Brandt Schroeder Weaker: Erhard To be determined: Angela Merkel

Gerhard Schroeder’s position ( ) Led a divided SPD Narrowly based coalition: –SPD and Greens had a narrow 10 seat majority Decreasing popularity –Impact of recent provincial elections Uncertain international stature

Comparing the British Prime Minister and the German Chancellor: Which (if either) is most capable of acting without first securing the consent of others?

Bases of British PM’s power Written constitution? Convention? Politics & political support: – the ways in which parties transfer the power and authority of parliament to cabinet and prime minister

Prime Minister’s advantage Hires and fires the cabinet: acknowledged right to do so (a convention of the constitution) Support of `10 Downing St.’ staff (Equivalent to Prime Minister’s Office, [PMO] in Canada) including policy unit, social inclusion unit… 10 Downing Street Support from Cabinet Office: (Equivalent of Privy Council Office [PCO] in Canada) Whip system

The whip system and how it operates Whip’s Office –Chief Whip –Deputy Whip –Assistant Whips Serve as two way channel of communication: –Convey frontbench opinions to the back benches –Convey backbench views to the leadership Make sure that the votes are there when they are needed

The process of discipline: A matter of conveying information and persuading Punishment: removal of the whip or ostracism from the caucus – rarely applied Dealing with dissent: –Canada: minimum or zero tolerance –UK: both parties tolerate some rebellion Conservatives: –deep divisions over EU –Travails of Ian Duncan Smith (IDS) New Labour: Iraq

How Prime Ministers maintain support The consensus strategy: enlist ministers representing different wings of the party. –Harold Wilson ( , ) –James Callaghan ( ) –Margaret Thatcher (from ) –John Major ( ) Damn the torpedoes/shoot from the hip: –Margaret Thatcher (from ) –Tony Blair (1997-present)

How different are Germany & Britain? In both instances, parties matter: Neither the German chancellor nor the British prime minister would be able to lead, or govern as they do, without disciplined or cohesive political parties Even so, both are constrained & must retain political support

Political Science Seminar Series Enforcing NAFO Regulations: A European Union Perspective Michele Del Zompo Senior Coordinator of Control Operations with the (EU) Community Fisheries Control Agency 3:00 pm Friday, November 16th AA1045