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.

Structure of government

The Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany, the country's federal constitution, stipulates that the structure of each Federal State's government must "conform to the principles of republican, democratic, and social government, based on the rule of law" (Article 28).

Related Topics:
Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany - Federal - Constitution

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Most of the Länder are governed by a cabinet led by a Ministerpräsident (Minister-President), together with a unicameral legislative body known as the Landtag ("State Diet"). The relationship between the legislative and executive branches mirrors that in the federal system: the legislatures are popularly elected for four or five years (depending on the state), and the Minister-President is then chosen by a majority vote among the Landtag's members. The Minister-President appoints a cabinet to run the Land's agencies and to carry out the executive duties of the Lands government.

Related Topics:
Cabinet - Ministerpräsident - Unicameral - Legislative body - Landtag - Majority vote

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Prior to January 1 2000, Bavaria had a bicameral parliament, with a popularly elected Landtag, and an appointed Senate made up of representatives of the state's major social and economic groups. The Senate was abolished following a referendum in 1998.

Related Topics:
January 1 - 2000 - ''Landtag'' - Senate - Referendum - 1998

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The Länder of Berlin, Bremen, and Hamburg, are governed slightly differently from the other states. In each of these cities, the executive branch consists of a Senate elected by the Lands parliament; the eight-or-so senators carry out duties equivalent to those of the ministers in the larger Länder. The equivalent of the Minister-President is the Senatspräsident ("President of the Senate") in Bremen, the Erster Bürgermeister ("First Mayor") in Hamburg, and the Regierender Bürgermeister ("Governing Mayor") in Berlin. The parliament for Berlin is called the Abgeordnetenhaus ("House of Representatives"), whilst Bremen and Hamburg both have a Bürgerschaft.

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