FRG: BASIC LAW (CONSTITUTION)

Question 1

What was the main concern for the allies regarding government?

Answer 1

Ensure that the democratically elected elites would retain control and could not be effectively replaced by a dictator.

Question 2

What did the constitution restore?

Answer 2

The federal nature of the state after Nazi centralisation.

Question 3

Who regained their power over regional issues under the new constitution?

Answer 3

Länder with elected representatives.

Question 4

Which two electoral systems were combined to elect people to the Lower Chamber (Bundestag)?

Answer 4

Proportional Representation and first past the post.

Question 5

How was the President elected?

Answer 5

Chosen by a representative convention made up of all the members of the Bundestag and elected Länder representatives.

Question 6

What is the definition of Basic Law?

Answer 6

Technically not a constitution for West Germany, as it wasn’t permanent, it was hoped that Germany would be reunited and therefore law amended.

Question 7

What was the first of the two main caveats for the West German constitution?

Answer 7

The new constitution was to remain under the strict control of the Western Occupying Powers.

Question 8

What was the second of the two caveats of the new constitution?

Answer 8

The new constitution was to be drawn up by a parliamentary council of 65 delegates from Lander.

Question 9

What was the highest aim for the new constitution?

Answer 9

To create a strong and stable democracy that could not be overthrown.

Question 10

What did the new constitution place special emphasis on?

Answer 10

Human and civil rights.

Question 11

What happened to the federal presidents powers?

Answer 11

Dramatically diminished to mainly representative functions.

Question 12

How was the president chosen?

Answer 12

By a special assembly made up of members of the Bundestag, and an equal number of members elected by the Lander parliaments.

Question 13

What were the two-tiers of the parliamentary structure in the FRG?

Answer 13

The Bundestag and the Bundesrat.

Question 14

What was the alternative to the old vote of no confidence?

Answer 14

The Bundestag could only bring down the chancellor and his government by a ‘constructive vote of no confidence’.

Question 15

What did the new constitution uphold?

Answer 15

The pluralism of political parties as a necessity for a stable and functioning democracy.

Question 16

What was not allowed with regards to discussing important issue under the new constitution?

Answer 16

The option for using direct votes on laws or issues.

Question 17

What happened to the Weimar structure of proportional representation?

Answer 17

It was maintained but it introduced the the additional member system or mixed member proportional representation.

Question 18

What did the new ‘form’ of proportional representation allow for?

Answer 18

Representatives for half the seats in the Bundestag to be elected by a majority vote in their constituencies and the other half through PR.

Question 19

What was the ‘5% hurdle’?

Answer 19

Any party that won less than 5% of the national vote was barred from parliament.

Question 20

What was the issue with the Supreme Court under Weimar?

Answer 20

Its judiciary had not been wholly sympathetic to democracy.

Question 21

What was created regarding the Supreme Court?

Answer 21

A new agency with the right to investigate and prevent any anti-democratic activities from left or right.

Question 22

What happened in the 1950s regarding various political parties under the ‘Supreme Court’?

Answer 22

SRP & KPD were both forbidden along with a couple of extremist youth organisations.