Question 13
In Germany, a change of government in a federal state can have effects on federal politics. Governing becomes …
German original: In Deutschland kann ein Regierungswechsel in einem Bundesland Auswirkungen auf die Bundespolitik haben. Das Regieren wird …. In the test, all questions are asked in German.
Answer options
- more difficult if this changes the majority in the Bundestag.
- easier if new parties come into the Federal Council.
- more difficult if this changes the majority in the Federal Council. — Correct answer
- easier if it is a rich federal state.
Explanation
A change of government in a state can alter the balance of power in the Bundesrat. If the federal government loses its majority there, governing at the federal level becomes more difficult.
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 semi-autonomous regions that make up Germany. Each state has its own government and parliament.
- Government — The government is the highest political leadership of a state or region. It is responsible for implementing laws and directing public administration.
- can / to be able to — An auxiliary verb that expresses that someone has the ability or possibility to do something.
- to have — 'Haben' means to possess something or to have something available. It is also used as an auxiliary verb to form past tenses in German.
- 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.
- 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.
- politics — Politics includes all decisions and measures that regulate how people live together in a state or community. Politicians and citizens work together to shape the rules and laws of a society.