On the roof of the Reichstag in Berlin: around 8,000 people visit the parliamentary building every day
Germany’s federal character is revealed in
primarily through the Bundesrat, the upper
the large level of independence the 16 federal
house, which is made up of members of the
states enjoy, in particular with regard to the
federal state governments and is likewise in
police, disaster control, the law, and culture.
Berlin. Densely populated federal states have
For historical reasons the cities of Berlin,
greater representation in the Bundesrat than
Hamburg, and Bremen are also federal
smaller ones. By being coalition partners in
states. The close links between the federal
federal state governments, parties that at
states and central government is unique, re-
federal level are in opposition, or not even
sulting in the state governments having nu-
represented in the Bundestag, can thus
merous opportunities to play an active role
potentially exert an influence on politics at
in central government policy. This occurs
federal level, as numerous federal acts and