Federal Republic of Germany Parliament and the Executive:

Parties Left Party  Former PDS (ex-Communists) + SPD left (Le Fontaine wing) Greens (die Grünen) SPD CDU/CSU FDP [Republikkaner]

Party system A moderate multiparty system: 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, Europe

German federalism Administrative or cooperative federalism  rather than dual or executive federalism Substantial powers given to laender  in practice many are shared Division of labour:  the federal government legislates and the laender governments administer Quid pro quo: laender gov’ts directly represented in the upper chamber (Bundesrat)& have strong voice in government policy

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)

Bicameral Parliament: Lower house or Bundestag elected by MMP (mixed member proportional)  Strong committee system, staffed by ‘experts’ (often with ties to interest groups Upper house of Bundesrat consists of delegations of 3-6 ministers from laender governments

Interplay between federal and provincial politics Federal & provincial party systems generally parallel, with parties inter- connected  Exceptions: Bavaria, eastern laender.. Laender elections as second order election  barometers for upcoming federal elections

Policy-making Consultative and generally consensual Organized interests & laender governments intensively involved Policy decisions as product of ongoing, but generally quiet negotiation

Limits on the chancellor’s power Basic law also gives cabinet ministers constitutional responsibility for their own departments Political limits:  Multiparty politics  Coalition government: In order get power, a chancellor must share power  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 in number Konrad Adenauer – CDU ( ) Ludwig Erhard – CDU ( ) Kurt Kiesinger – CDU ( ) Willie Brandt – SPD ( ) Helmut Schmidt – SPD ( ) Helmut Kohl – CDU ( ) Gerhard Schroeder – SPD ( ) Angela Merkel (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

Gerhard Schroeder’s position Leads 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

Angela Merkel Growing stature But need to work with SPD…. While placating interests in her own party

Contrasts with Britain & France: Ability of political executive to get what he or she wants? Influence of parliament Contrasts in degree of centralization in  Administration  Policy processes

Problems: Ossies v. Wessies – assimilating the east Maintaining the industrial base Reforming the welfare state  The wende that wasn ‘t Sonderweg no more: Is Germany becoming a ‘normal’ country?