Suchergebnisse

This entry has been realised in the framework of the H2020-MSCA-RISE-2018 project "LoGov - Local Government and the Changing Urban-Rural Interplay". LoGov aims to provide solutions for local governments that address the fundamental challenges resulting from urbanisation. To address this complex issue, 18 partners from 17 countries and six continents share their expertise and knowledge in the realms of public law, political science, and public administration. LoGov identifies, evaluates, compares, and shares innovative practices that cope with the impact of changing urban-rural relations in five major local government areas: (1) local responsibilities and public services, (2) local financial arrangements, (3) structure of local government, (4) intergovernmental relations of local governments, and (5) people's participation in local decision-making. The present entry represents the general introduction of the LoGov Report on Germany providing an overview to the system of local government in the country. To access the full version of the report on Germany, the various practices in the five above-mentioned areas of interest, and to receive more information about the project, please visit: https://www.logov-rise.eu/. This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie grant agreement No 823961.

Analyzed in the article is German political party system after the 2013 Bundestag elections. The author studies results of the 2015 elections to the European Parliament and of2014-2015 elections to German federal legislative bodies. European elections are known to be the voters' second priority; but what role do they play for German citizens? The author reveals the voters' motives for taking part in elections and making corresponding decisions, which allows to describe the key patterns and trends of development of elections to the European Parliament. Special attention is paid to the role of smaller parties and assessment of FDP's possible retirement from the German federal political stage. Success of the new right-wing populist party «Alternative for Germany», which succeeded in getting seats not only in the European Parliament, but also in all legislative bodies in German lands where elections took place, makes one consider its prospects and consequences of its emergence for the German political party system. Since its best results were achieved in the East of the country, the article offers thorough analysis of the voters' behavior in so-called new lands. Elections in Hamburg and Bremen have always had special features. People in these lands are more eager to support social democrats, which was proved by the 2015 elections. Could the «choice of the big city» be considered to follow its own logic, and does the CDU have a chance to break this tradition? Attempting to answer with this question, the author turns to the results of a sociological study of the Adenauer Fund, which support the statement that it is the candidate's personality and not the party itself that plays decisive role in the party's victory. In conclusion, the author gives her own interpretation of features of the modern German political party system and a forecast of its future development.

This article is devoted to the changes of the party system of Germany. In recent years, the transformation of the party system has caused several political crises. Party spectrum is pluralized and polarized in Germany. Regional differences also increase. In this situation, the German parties are in search of new dynamics. The consequence of this is that all the main parties are now factional. The system that existed in Germany for more than half a century, with the dominance of two political forces (CDU/CSU and SPD), gradually evolved into the "one and a half" party system (only CDU/CSU dominates). The question is whether evolution will continue towards simple multi-party system, or the "one and a half" party system will remain. With a significant degree of certainty, one can say that a return to a "two and a half" party system is impossible. Changes in the party-political system lead to an increase in the diversity of the composition of the coalitions ruling in Germany. German political parties should learn how to create coalitions of three political forces, also at the federal level. The main trend of the coming years for CDU, CSU and SPD will be an attempt to return to their traditional platforms. However, a full return is impossible. More frequent red-red-green coalitions can be expected, including the federal level. But, nevertheless, serious changes in the German party system did not lead to its chronic incapacity – the system adapted to them.

The fact that in recent years citizen action groups have caused a change In the structure of political processes in Germany can hardly be denied. But neither the state of research reached so far nor the experience of political practice in dealing with action groups permits reliable judgments on the importance of these changes . Did the political system of Germany gain a new element or are the activities of civic groups a more or less shortlived fad or are we at the start of a transformation of Western political systems at the end of which we will have the often described "participatory democracy"? No valid answer can be given to these questions - as there probably is no typical civic action group. We are dealing with a completely heterogeneous pattern of political organization and action if we take into account the aims of the groups, the means they use to achieve their ends, the organization and membership structure, their fields of activity, and more.

Die deutsche Bevölkerung schrumpft und altert in zunehmendem Umfang und Tempo. Die
Implosion der deutschen Wirtschaft, Gesellschaft und Politik kann auf die Dauer nur durch
vermehrte Geburten aufgehalten werden. Bis dies gelingt, können die Folgen des Schrumpfungs-
und Alterungsprozesses nur durch verstärkte Zuwanderung abgemildert werden. Damit
wird die politische, soziale und kulturelle Integration von Zuwanderern zu einer zentralen
Herausforderung für die Politik und die Bürger Deutschlands. Die notwendige Integration
der Zuwanderung kann nur gelingen, wenn von der einheimischen Bevölkerung kultureller
Pluralismus weit mehr als bisher als legitime Dimension demokratischer Gesellschaften "akzeptiert"
wird. Ohne diese Akzeptanz wird die Integration scheitern.

Einstellung der politischen Führungsschicht (Parlamentsmitglieder) in
der Bundesrepublik Deutschland zu anderen Nationen und weltpolitischen
Problemen.

Themen: Beurteilung des derzeitigen Stands und der zukünftigen
Entwicklung des eigenen Landes; wichtigste Probleme des Landes und der
Welt; wichtigste Aufgaben der Außenpolitik; Beurteilung des
Ost-West-Stärkeverhältnisses und der allgemeinen Kriegsgefahr
Einstellung zu Atomwaffen, zum Rüstungsaufwand und zur Zuverlässigkeit
der NATO und der UNO; Einstellung zu mehr Neutralität des Landes;
Erwartung einer weltpolitischen Entspannung.

Demographie: Mitgliedschaften; Parteipräferenz.

This article provides a brief description of the tax system of the Federal Republic of Germany. An analysis of the main taxes and fees in modern Germany is presented, as well as the unique taxes that distinguish this state with its tax policy.