The Basic Law and the constitution of West Germany

What happened in May 1949?

A new constitution, the Basic Law, was adopted.

When was Konrad Adenauer, leader of the Christian Democrats, elected chancellor?

August 1949.

What did Basic Law allow for freedom of?

Allowed for freedom of expression, assembly, association and movement were guaranteed.

What did Basic Law establish?

Established a ‘representative democracy’ whereby popular participation is limited to voting every few years and the public merely selected who will rule for them.

This kept power in the hands of the elite to prevent the emergence of another Hitler.

What changes did Basic Law make to the state?

A federal state where individual states kept much power over regional issues, and at a national level they were represented in the Upper Chamber (Bundesrat).

What was the lower chamber?

The Bundestag.

How was the Bundestag elected?

Was elected by a complex system which combined proportional representation with first past the post.

What is first past the post?

Where the person with the most votes in each individual state is elected to be an MP.

What was later introduced?

Was later added that parties had to gain 5% of the vote before they were represented.

This was done to prevent the emergence of small, extremist parties.

How long was Basic Law intended for?

It was meant to be temporary until Germany was united.

What did Basic Law commit Germany to?

Committed Germany to work for unity and all Germans living in former German lands were allowed citizenship.

All those who left the DDR were able to settle and work in the West.

What did all parties have to uphold due to Basic Law?

All parties had to uphold democracy.

Extremist parties that were not committed to parliamentary democracy were banned. This prevented anti-democratic parties gaining a majority.

What did Basic Law say about the president?

The president was not directly elected, but was chosen by a representative convention.

This prevented an anti-democratic leader.

What were the powers of the president like according to Basic Law?

The powers of the president were limited, largely formal and symbolic, and prevented rule by decree.

What was to be said about the dismissal of a chancellor?

Chancellor could not be dismissed unless a new chancellor was voted in, which prevented the president from dismissing a chancellor at will.