Government (Germany)
====================


     Long-form name:
         Federal Republic of Germany
     Type:
         federal republic
     Capital:
         Berlin; note - the shift from Bonn to Berlin will take place over a period
         of years with Bonn retaining many administrative functions and several
         ministries
     Administrative divisions:
         16 states (lander, singular - land); Baden-Wurttemberg, Bayern, Berlin,
         Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen,
         Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt,
         Schleswig-Holstein, Thuringen
     Independence:
         18 January 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of
         occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II;
         Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 May 1949 and
         included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic
         (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 October 1949 and included the former USSR
         zone; unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 October
         1990; all four power rights formally relinquished 15 March 1991
     Constitution:
         23 May 1949, provisional constitution known as Basic Law
     Legal system:
         civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative
         acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
         jurisdiction
     National holiday:
         German Unity Day, 3 October (1990)
     Executive branch:
         president, chancellor, Cabinet
     Legislative branch:
         bicameral parliament (no official name for the two chambers as a whole)
         consists of an upper chamber or Federal Council (Bundesrat) and a lower
         chamber or Federal Diet (Bundestag)
     Judicial branch:
         Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht)
     Leaders:
       Chief of State:
         President Dr. Richard von WEIZSACKER (since 1 July 1984)
       Head of Government:
         Chancellor Dr. Helmut KOHL (since 4 October 1982)
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     Political parties and leaders:
         Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Helmut KOHL, chairman; Christian Social
         Union (CSU), Theo WAIGEL; Free Democratic Party (FDP), Otto Count
         LAMBSDORFF, chairman; Social Democratic Party (SPD), Bjoern ENGHOLM, -
         chairman; - Green - Party - Ludger VOLMER, Christine WEISKE, co-chairmen
         (after the 2 December 1990 election the East and West German Green Parties
         united); Alliance 90 united to form one party in September 1991, Petra
         MORAWE, chairwoman; Republikaner, Franz SCHOENHUBER; National Democratic
         Party (NPD), Walter BACHMANN; Communist Party (DKP), Rolf PRIEMER
     Suffrage:
         universal at age 18