Government Structure
German political power is divided between a federal government and state level administration. Executive power at the federal level is held by a Chancellor and Government responsible to the Bundestag, the German Parliament. German legislative power is held between the Bundestag and Bundesrat. The Bundestag is formed of members elected every four years and contains 709 members. The Bundesrat contains 69 seats and is intended to represent the individual states. Its members are delegates from their respective state governments and must vote in blocks.
International Relations
Germany is a member of the European Union and the G7.
Political Environment
The present government is formed of a center-right coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and the Christian Social Union (CSU), its Bavarian counterpart, as well as the Social Democratic Party (SPD). The government is, at present, led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, though her days are numbered. It appears that Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer is Merkel’s favored heir apparent. The opposition in the Bundestag includes the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, as well as a left leaning block composed of the Free Democratic Union, The Left, and The Greens.
Recent Developments
One of the most polarizing features of German politics in recent years has been immigration, particularly from the Middle East and Northern Africa, which has emboldened the more nativist far right and empowered the AfD party.
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