State Structure and Federalism

This topic covers how the German state is structured and who is responsible for what. Germany is a federal state: tasks and powers are split between the federal level (Bund), the 16 states (Länder), and the local municipalities (Gemeinden). For the test, the number of states (16), the names of the main federal institutions (Bundestag, Bundesrat, federal government, Bundespräsident, Bundesverfassungsgericht) and the basic outline of how a law is made matter most.

A common trap: the Bundestag and the Bundesrat get mixed up often. The Bundestag is elected directly by the people and passes laws, while the Bundesrat represents the 16 state governments and has a say on laws without being directly elected itself. The order of steps in the lawmaking process is another frequent trap, along with who elects the Bundeskanzler (the Bundestag, not the people directly) and who represents Germany abroad (the Bundespräsident, not the Bundeskanzler).