Question 25
What does 'popular sovereignty' mean? All state authority derives from the ...
German original: Was bedeutet 'Volkssouveränität'? Alle Staatsgewalt geht vom .... In the test, all questions are asked in German.
Answer options
- the people. — Correct answer
- the Bundestag.
- the Prussian king.
- the Bundesverfassungsgericht.
Explanation
Popular sovereignty (Art. 20 Basic Law) means all state authority derives from the people. The people are the ultimate sovereign and legitimize state power through elections and referendums.
Key terms in this question
- Popular sovereignty — Popular sovereignty means that all state power originates from the people. The people decide through elections who exercises political power.
- state authority — State authority is the power of a government to make and enforce laws and to govern the people living within its territory. In Germany, according to the Basic Law, all state authority derives from the people.
- people / nation — The entirety of people belonging to a nation or state, often sharing a common language, culture, or history.
- all/everyone — A pronoun or adjective indicating that no person or thing is excluded. It refers to the complete entirety of a group.
- goes / works — 'Geht' is the third person singular form of the verb 'gehen' (to go/to work). It describes movement on foot or is used figuratively to mean that something functions or is possible.
- State — A state is an organized community with a defined territory, a population, and a government that creates and enforces laws.
- violence / power — Violence refers to the use of force to harm or coerce someone. In a political context, it also means state power, as in the separation of powers (legislative, executive, and judicial).
- Everyone / All — Everyone refers to the complete group of people or things, with no exceptions.