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Germany Government 1996
Federal Republic of Germany
Bundesrepublik Deutschland
the shift from Bonn to Berlin will take place over a period of years with
Bonn retaining many administrative functions and several ministries
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Administrative divisions:
16 states (laender, singular - land); Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bayern, Berlin,
Brandenburg, Bremen, Hamburg, Hessen, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Niedersachsen,
Nordrhein-Westfalen, Rheinland-Pfalz, Saarland, Sachsen, Sachsen-Anhalt,
Schleswig-Holstein, Thueringen
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
German Unity Day (Day of Unity), 3 October (1990)
23 May 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united German
people 3 October 1990
civil law system with indigenous concepts; judicial review of legislative
acts in the Federal Constitutional Court; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction
18 years of age; universal
President Roman HERZOG (since 1 July 1994)
Chancellor Dr. Helmut KOHL (since 4 October 1982)
Cabinet; appointed by the president upon the proposal of the chancellor
bicameral chamber (no official name for the two chambers as a whole)
Federal Assembly (Bundestag):
last held 16 October 1994 (next to be held by NA 1998); results - CDU 34.2%,
SPD 36.4%, Alliance 90/Greens 7.3%, CSU 7.3%, FDP 6.9%, PDS 4.4%,
Republicans 1.9% ; seats - (662 total, but number can vary) CDU 244, SPD
252, Alliance 90/Greens 49, CSU 50, FDP 47, PDS 30; elected by direct
popular vote under a system combining direct and proportional
representation; a party must win 5% of the national vote or 3 direct
mandates to gain representation
Federal Council (Bundesrat):
State governments are directly represented by votes; each has 3 to 6 votes
depending on size and are required to vote as a block; current composition:
votes - (68 total) SPD-led states 37, CDU-led states 31
Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht)
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Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Helmut KOHL, chairman; Christian Social
Union (CSU), Theo WAIGEL, chairman; Free Democratic Party (FDP), Klaus
KINKEL, chairman; Social Democratic Party (SPD), Rudolf SCHARPING, chairman;
Alliance '90/Greens, Krista SAGER, Juergen TRITTIN, cochairpersons; Party of
Democratic Socialism (PDS), Lothar BISKY, chairman; Republikaner, Rolf
SCHLIERER, chairman; National Democratic Party (NPD), Guenter DECKERT;
Communist Party (DKP), Rolf PRIEMER
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Other political or pressure groups:
expellee, refugee, and veterans groups
AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australia Group, BDEAC, BIS, CBSS, CCC, CDB
(non-regional), CE, CERN, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA, FAO, G- 5, G- 7, G-10,
GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IEA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS,
ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MINURSO,
MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS (observer), OECD, OSCE, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNITAR, UNOMIG, UPU, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTO, ZC
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Diplomatic representation in US:
Ambassador Juergen CHROBOG
4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York,
San Francisco, Seattle
Manila (Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands) and Wellington (America
Samoa)
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US diplomatic representation:
Ambassador Charles E. REDMAN
Deichmanns Aue 29, 53170 Bonn
Unit 21701, Bonn; APO AE 09080
Frankfurt, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich, and Stuttgart
three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and yellow
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