Conventional Long Form: Federal Republic of Germany
Capital City: Berlin Government Type: federal republic Date of Independence: 18 January 1871 National Holidays: Unity Day, 3 October. Commemorates German reunification in 1990. The Day of German Unity is celebrated each year with a ceremonial act and a citizens' festival (Bürgerfest). The celebrations are hosted habitually in the state capital of the German state presiding over the Bundesrat in the respective year. Chief of State: President Joachim Gauck (since 23 March 2012) Head of Government: Chancellor Angela Merkel (Since 22 November 2005) Executive Branch/Powers: cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chancellor elections: president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term) by a Federal Convention, including all members of the Federal Parliament (Bundestag) and an equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments; election last held on 19 February 2012 (next to be held by June 2017); chancellor elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Parliament for a four-year term; Federal Parliament vote for Chancellor last held after 27 September 2009 (next to be held 2013) election results: Joachim GAUCK elected president; received 991 votes of the Federal Convention against 126 for Beate KLARSFELD and 3 for Olaf ROSE; Angela MERKEL reelected chancellor; vote by Federal Parliament 323 to 285 with four abstentions Legislative Branch/Powers: bicameral legislature consists of the Federal Council or Bundesrat (69 votes; state governments sit in the Council; each has three to six votes in proportion to population and is required to vote as a block) and the Federal Parliament or Bundestag (622 seats; members elected by popular vote for a four-year term under a system of personalized proportional representation; a party must win 5% of the national vote or three direct mandates to gain proportional representation and caucus recognition) elections: Bundestag - last held on 27 September 2009 (next to be held no later than autumn 2013); note - there are no elections for the Bundesrat; composition is determined by the composition of the state-level governments; the composition of the Bundesrat has the potential to change any time one of the 16 states holds an election election results: Bundestag - percent of vote by party - CDU/CSU 33.8%, SPD 23%, FDP 14.6%, Left 11.9%, Greens 10.7%, other 6%; seats by party - CDU/CSU 239, SPD 146, FDP 93, Left 76, Greens 68 Judicial Branch/Powers: Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (half the judges are elected by the Bundestag and half by the Bundesrat); Federal Court of Justice; Federal Administrative Court Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Ambassador to the US: Peter Ammon Location of German Embassy in the US: 4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007 Location of Germany's Consulates: Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco Ambassador for the US: Philip D. MURPHY Location of US Embassy in Germany: Pariser Platz 2, 14191 Berlin Location of US Consulates in Geramny: Duesseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich Representative to the UN: Dr. Peter Wittig Symbolism of FLag: three equal horizontal bands of black (top), red, and gold; these colors have played an important role in German history and can be traced back to the medieval banner of the Holy Roman Emperor - a black eagle with red claws and beak on a gold field National Symbols: black eagle National Anthem: name: "Lied der Deutschen" (Song of the Germans). lyrics/music: August Heinrich HOFFMANN VON FALLERSLEBEN/Franz Joseph HAYDN note:adopted 1922, restored 1990; the anthem, also known as "Deutschlandlied" (Song of Germany), was abolished in 1945 because of the Nazi's use of the first verse, specifically the phrase, "Deutschland, Deutschland ueber alles" (Germany, Germany above all) to promote nationalism; since restoration in 1990, only the third verse is sung |
Chief of State:
President Joachim Guack Head of State:
Chancellor Angela Merkel National Symbol:
Black Hawk |