he proposal of the
chancellor
Legislative branch:
bicameral chamber (no official name for the two chambers as a whole)
Federal Assembly (Bundestag):
last held 2 December 1990 (next to be held by 16 October 1994);
results - CDU 36.7%, SPD 33.5%, FDP 11.0%, CSU 7.1%, Green Party (West
Germany) 3.9%, PDS 2.4%, Republikaner 2.1%, Alliance 90/Green Party
(East Germany) 1.2%, other 2.1%; seats - (662 total) CDU 268, CSU 51,
SPD 239, FDP 79, PDS 17, Greens/Alliance '90 8; elected by direct
popular vote under a system combining direct and proportional
representation; a party must win 5% of the national vote or 3 direct
mandates to gain representation
Federal Council (Bundesrat):
State governments are directly represented by votes; each has 3 to 6
votes depending on size and are required to vote as a block; current
composition: votes - (68 total) SPD-led states 37, CDU-led states 31
Judicial branch:
Federal Constitutional Court (Bundesverfassungsgericht)
Political parties and leaders:
Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Helmut KOHL, chairman; Christian
Social Union (CSU), Theo WAIGEL, chairman; Free Democratic Party
(FDP), Klaus KINKEL, chairman; Social Democratic Party (SPD), Rudolf
SCHARPING, chairman; Alliance '90/Greens, Ludger VOLMER, Marianne
BIRTHLER, co-chairmen; Party of Democratic Socialism (PDS), Lothar
BISKY, chairman; Republikaner, Franz SCHOENHUBER; National Democratic
Party (NPD), Guenter DECKERT; Communist Party (DKP), Rolf PRIEMER
Other political or pressure groups:
expellee, refugee, and veterans groups
Member of:
AfDB, AG (observer), AsDB, Australian Group, BDEAC, BIS, CBSS, CCC,
CDB (non-regional), CE, CERN, COCOM, CSCE, EBRD, EC, ECE, EIB, ESA,
FAO, G-5, G-7, G-10, GATT, IADB, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, IDA,
IEA, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, IOM,
ISO, ITU, LORCS, MTCR, NACC, NAM (guest), NATO, NEA, NSG, OAS
(observer), OECD, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNHCR, UNOMIG,
UNOSOM, UNTAC, UPU, WEU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO, ZC
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Immo STABREIT
chancery:
4645 Reservoir Road NW, Washington, DC 20007
telephone:
(202) 298-4000
FAX:
(202) 298-4249
consulate(s) general:
Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New
York, San Francisco, Seattle
consulate(s):
Manila (Trust Territories of the Pacific Islands) and Wellington
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