The German Political System

This book is a guide through the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany in the 21st century. Manfred G. Schmidt explains both the set of rules which the constitution provides for the policy and the constitutional reality. The political institutions, their functioning and the process of political decision-making are dealt with in detail. In addition, state activity in the most important fields of domestic and foreign policy and its interaction with political institutions and processes is examined. The author discusses politics in Germany from the perspective of international and historical comparison and assesses its strengths and weaknesses. For the 4th edition the book has been thoroughly updated and all chapters have been brought up to date.