States of Germany

Germany is a federal republic made up of 16 states, known in German as Länder (singular Land). Since Land is also the German word for "country", the term Bundesländer ("Federal States"; singular Bundesland) is often used instead to avoid ambiguity.

Politics

Politics at the state level often carry implications for federal politics. Opposition victories in Landtag elections, which take place throughout the federal government's four-year term, can weaken the coalition forming the federal government. This led to both Konrad Adenauer and Willy Brandt losing the federal chancellorship, in 1963 and 1974 respectively.

Related Topics:
Politics - Konrad Adenauer - Willy Brandt - Federal chancellorship - 1963 - 1974

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State elections are viewed as a barometer of support for the policies of the federal government. If the parties of the governing coalition lose support in successive Land elections, those results may foreshadow political difficulties for the federal government.

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The outcome of Land elections also directly affects the composition of the Bundesrat ("Federal Council"), one of the two bodies of the federal parliament, which can again cause the federal government difficulties. For example, in the early 1990s, the opposition SPD commanded a two-thirds majority in the Bundesrat, making it particularly difficult for the governing CDU/CSU-FDP coalition to achieve the constitutional changes it sought; by 2003 the situation was the reverse, with an SPD-led government being severely hindered by a large CDU majority in the Bundesrat.

Related Topics:
''Bundesrat'' - Parliament - 1990s - SPD - CDU - CSU - FDP - 2003

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The powers of the state governments and legislatures in their own territories have been much diminished in recent decades with an ever-increasing amount of federal legislation. A commission has been formed to examine the possibility of instituting a clearer separation of federal and state powers, to address this issue.

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