How To Talk About German Politics: Facts About Germany’s Political System + Vocabulary
Germany has a political system that is a bit like a big team working together to make decisions for the country.
Whether you want to admit it or not, talking about German politics will come up here and there when you start your German language learning journey. So, it’s pretty important to learn the facts about the German political system, and the vocabulary connected to it.
DW Euromaxxx made a great video on how German politics, elections and voting in Germany looks like:
Let’s explore the interesting world of German politics together!
1. What is German politics about?
So, just like we mentioned earlier, German politics is about people working together to set rules for the country in all areas of life.
Germany is a democracy, where different political parties have their own ideas about how they could make the country better.
Germany has two big parts in its government: the Bundestag and the Bundesrat.
People in Germany vote to choose who gets to be in the Bundestag, where people have talks and feuds, and decide on new rules and laws.
The Bundesrat is the council, a legislative body that represents different regions of Germany.
At the top of this political system is the Chancellor. The Chancellor helps guide the whole country, and their task is to manage all the parts of the system. Of course, the Chancellor isn’t working alone. Germany also has a President. The President’s job is to represent the country and make sure that everyone follows the rules.
To talk about German politics, you can use these words and common German phrases:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| die Demokratie | Democracy |
| die politischen Parteien | Political Parties |
| der Bundestag | Bundestag |
| der Bundesrat | Bundesrat |
| wählen | Vote |
| die Regeln und Gesetze | Rules and Laws |
| die Regionen | Regions |
| der Kanzler | Chancellor |
| der Präsident | President |
| die Regierung | Government |
| die Entscheidungen | Decisions |
| das Land | Country |
2. The Bundestag: political parties, parliament and the political system
The Bundestag is the federal parliament of Germany and it’s one of the most important institutions in the country’s political system. It’s where elected representatives, known as Abgeordnete (Members of Parliament), meet to discuss and pass laws. The Bundestag has a key role in electing the Bundeskanzler (Chancellor), who is the head of government.
The current (2024) Bundeskanzler in Germany is Olaf Scholz.
The Bundestag‘s representatives are elected by the citizens of Germany through general elections, which happen every four years.
Major Political Parties in the Bundestag 2024
Here are some of the major political parties in the Bundestag. It’s good to be up-to-date with their views, too!
These are the most important and biggest political parties in Germany in 2024:
Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU) / Christlich-Soziale Union (CSU)
- English: Christian Democratic Union/Christian Social Union
- Views: The CDU/CSU (alternatively called as the Union) is a center-right political alliance. They put highlight on economic stability, conservative social values, and a strong commitment to European integration.
Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD)
- English: Social Democratic Party of Germany
- Views: The SPD is a center-left party that focuses on social justice, workers’ rights, and welfare programs. They want more government intervention in the economy to ensure equality.
Die Grünen (The Greens)
- English: The Greens
- Views: The Greens prioritize environmental issues, sustainability, and social equality. They push for renewable energy sources, climate protection, and human rights.
Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP)
- English: Free Democratic Party
- Views: The FDP is a liberal party that champions free-market policies, individual liberties, and minimal government intervention in the economy.
Alternative für Deutschland (AfD)
- English: Alternative for Germany
- Views: The AfD is a right-wing party famous for its nationalist and anti-immigration stance. They often criticize the European Union and want stricter border controls and a reduction in immigration.
Die Linke (The Left)
- English: The Left
- Views: Die Linke is a left-wing party that focuses on social equality, anti-capitalism, and pacifism. They want welfare programs, higher taxes on the wealthy, and greater government control over the economy.
Check out this important vocabulary list about the Bundestag and the political parties in German:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| der Bundestag | Bundestag |
| die Abgeordneten | Members of Parliament |
| der Bundeskanzler | Chancellor |
| die Wahlen | Elections |
| die Christlich Demokratische Union (CDU) | Christian Democratic Union |
| die Christlich-Soziale Union (CSU) | Christian Social Union |
| die Sozialdemokratische Partei Deutschlands (SPD) | Social Democratic Party of Germany |
| Bündnis 90/Die Grünen | Alliance 90/The Greens |
| die Freie Demokratische Partei (FDP) | Free Democratic Party |
| die Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) | Alternative for Germany |
| Die Linke | The Left |
| die Plenarsitzungen | Plenary Sessions |
| die Ausschüsse | Committees |
| die Debatten | Debates |
| die Gesetze | Laws |
| die Umwelt | Environment |
| die Nachhaltigkeit | Sustainability |
| die Gerechtigkeit | Justice |
| die Menschenrechte | Human Rights |
3. Elections and election campaigns in Germany
Since elections are part of the democratic process, it’s no different in Germany. Citizens choose their representatives on different levels of government.
These are the different types of elections held in Germany:
- Bundestag Elections (Federal Elections): every four years, voters elect members of the Bundestag.
- Landtag Elections (State Elections): every five years, voters elect representatives to the state parliaments.
- Local Elections: every five to six years, voters elect city councils, mayors, and other local officials.
- European Parliament Elections: held every five years, voters in Germany elect representatives to the European Parliament.
Election campaigns are the same in Germany as in other democratic countries. It’s an intense period where all the parties and candidates try to win as many votes as possible through different methods.
They use posters, television and radio ads, social media. The candidates also participate in live debates and interviews on TV and radio.
There are rallies and public meetings everywhere where political leaders held speeches. In these campaigns, parties publish election programs to inform voters about what they stand for.
Elections usually take place on Sundays, so people can vote freely without having to take a day off from work. Voters then got to local polling stations to cast their ballots.
Germany uses a mixed-member proportional representation system for Bundestag elections.
You can talk about German politics and the election campaigns with these words and phrases:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| die Wahlen | Elections |
| der Wahlkampf | Election Campaign |
| der Bundestag | Federal Parliament |
| die Landtagswahlen | State Elections |
| die Kommunalwahlen | Local Elections |
| die Europawahlen | European Parliament Elections |
| die Plakate | Posters |
| die Fernsehwerbung | Television Ads |
| die Radiospots | Radio Ads |
| die Sozialen Medien | Social Media |
| die Kandidaten | Candidates |
| die Debatten | Debates |
| die Wahlprogramme | Election Programs |
| die Wahlurne | Ballot Box |
| das Wahllokal | Polling Station |
| die Erststimme | First Vote |
| die Zweitstimme | Second Vote |
| die Wahlbeteiligung | Voter Turnout |
| die Freiwilligen | Volunteers |
| die Wahlplakate | Election Posters |
4. Important chunks for talking about German politics with Conversation Based Chunking
There’s more to cover with the following chunks; first, we’ll share a table with some of the most important chunks and then, you can see all of them in action in a real German conversation:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| das Wahlsystem | Electoral System |
| das Verhältniswahlrecht | Proportional Representation |
| die Direktmandate | Direct Mandates |
| die Fünf-Prozent-Hürde | 5% Threshold |
| die Wahlzettel | Ballot Papers |
| die Briefwahl | Postal Voting |
| die Wahlkampfkosten | Campaign Financing |
| das Wahlprogramm | Party Manifesto |
| die Wahlkommission | Electoral Commission |
| die Koalitionsverhandlungen | Coalition Negotiations |
| der Koalitionsvertrag | Coalition Agreement |
| der Ministerpräsident | Minister-President (State Premier) |
| die Bundestagswahl | Federal Election |
| die Landtagswahl | State Election |
| die freie und faire Wahlen | Free and Fair Elections |
If you ever engage in a real German dialogue, keep this conversation in mind:
Anna: Hallo Stefan, weißt du, wie das Wahlsystem in Deutschland funktioniert? (Hi Stefan, do you know how the electoral system in Germany works?)
Stefan: Ja, Deutschland verwendet das Verhältniswahlrecht und die Direktmandate. (Yes, Germany uses proportional representation and direct mandates.)
Anna: Was bedeutet die 5%-Hürde? (What does the 5% threshold mean?)
Stefan: Parteien müssen mindestens 5% der Zweitstimmen erreichen, um ins Parlament zu kommen. (Parties must get at least 5% of the second votes to enter the parliament.)
Anna: Wie funktioniert die Briefwahl? (How does postal voting work?)
Stefan: Du kannst deine Wahlzettel per Post abschicken, wenn du nicht zum Wahllokal gehen kannst. (You can mail your ballot papers if you can’t go to the polling station.)
Anna: Was passiert nach der Bundestagswahl? (What happens after the federal election?)
Stefan: Die Parteien führen Koalitionsverhandlungen, um einen Koalitionsvertrag zu erstellen. (The parties conduct coalition negotiations to create a coalition agreement.)
Anna: Danke, Stefan. Das war sehr hilfreich! (Thanks, Stefan. That was very helpful!)
Stefan: Gern geschehen, Anna. (You’re welcome, Anna.)
If you want to use these chunks in conversations, there’s a method for you: it’s called Conversation Based Chunking.
And you can even practice them with this exercise right here:
With lexical chunks, you learn the language without memorizing vocabulary lists and learning grammar definitions. Do you want to learn German with this effective method?
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