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THE STATE & POLITICS
THE STATE & POLITICS
Successful Reforms ∙ Federal State ∙ Active Politics ∙
Broad Participation ∙ Vibrant Culture of Remembrance
INSIGHT
SUCCESSFUL REFORMS
Today, 25 years after reunification, Germany is
She is the first woman in the history of the
a value-based, democratic, economically suc-
Federal Republic of Germany to hold this of-
cessful, and cosmopolitan country. The polit-
fice. Merkel grew up in former East Germany,
ical landscape is diverse; the democratic par-
where she gained a doctorate in Physics. In
ties compete against one another – but they
rankings by Forbes Magazine in 2014 and
also have mutual respect for one another and
2015 she took first place in the list of the
form coalitions at various political levels.
world’s most powerful women. Deputy Chan-
Since the elections for the 18th German Bun-
cellor Sigmar Gabriel (Federal Minister for
destag in 2013, Germany has been governed
Economic Affairs and Energy) and Dr. Frank-
by a Grand Coalition of CDU/CSU and SPD, an
Walter Steinmeier (Federal Foreign Minister)
alliance of the two major forces in the Ger-
are important representatives of the SPD in the
man party system. Of the 630 Members of
Cabinet. The Cabinet is made up of 14 minis-
Parliament, the coalition partners account for
ters and the Head of the Federal Chancellery.
503 seats (CDU/CSU 310, SPD 193). The oppos-
The Coalition Agreement entitled “Shaping
ition has 127 seats, with The Left party hold-
Germany’s Future” serves as the basis of the
ing 64 and Alliance 90/The Greens 63 of them,
government parties’ joint work for the cur-
making it the smallest parliamentary opposi-
rent legislature until 2017.
tion for over 40 years. Federal Chancellor
Dr. Angela Merkel (CDU), the first female head
In 2016, the German economy will enter its sev-
of a German government, has been in power
enth year of consecutive growth, employment
since 2005 and is now in her third term of office.
is at a record high, and government revenue