German politics today - Geoffrey K Roberts

A survey of the German political system, based on information covering the period since the 1998 Bundestag election and the new coalition government under Chancellor Schroder. An overview of the historical background to the present-day political system, including the steps that led to German reunification in 1990, is followed by analysis of the institutions of political participation (election, parties and interest groups) and the institutions of government (the constitution, the legislature, chancellor government and the federal system). The book concludes by considering the symbiotic relationship between Germany and Europe, and assesses how apt it is to consider Germany to be a "normal" democracy today.;The author draws on German as well as English-language sources of data, and special features include boxes explaining certain topics, a chronology of events leading to German reunification, and examples of interest groups officially registered with the Bundestag.