Question 50
Who elects the Federal President in Germany?
German original: Wer wählt in Deutschland die Bundespräsidentin/den Bundespräsidenten?. In the test, all questions are asked in German.
Answer options
- the Federal Assembly — Correct answer
- the Federal Council
- the Federal Parliament
- the Federal Constitutional Court
Explanation
The Federal President is elected by the Federal Assembly: Bundestag members and an equal number of delegates from the state parliaments. It is not a direct popular election.
Key terms in this question
- Germany — Germany is a country in central Europe with a parliamentary democracy. It is a member of the European Union and its capital is Berlin.
- Federal state — A federal state is one of the 16 regions that together form Germany. Each state has its own government, parliament, and areas of responsibility.
- Federal President (female) — The Federal President (female) is the female head of state of the Federal Republic of Germany. She represents the country at home and abroad and is elected by the Federal Assembly for a five-year term.
- the Federal Government / the Federation — The Federation refers to the central level of government in Germany, as opposed to the individual federal states (Länder). It is responsible for matters that affect the whole country, such as foreign policy or national defense.
- elects / votes for — 'Wählt' is the third person singular of 'wählen' (to elect/vote) and means that someone chooses a person or party through a vote. In a democracy, the people elect their political representatives.
- Federal President — The Federal President is the head of state of the Federal Republic of Germany. They are elected by the Federal Assembly for a five-year term and represent Germany at home and abroad.
- Federal President — The Federal President is the head of state of the Federal Republic of Germany. They are elected by the Federal Assembly and represent Germany both domestically and internationally.
- president (female) — A woman who holds the highest leadership position in an organization, a state, or an institution. For example, the President of the Bundesrat is the female head of that German legislative body.