18. Short Answer Response: Answer in complete sentences.
Describe the similiarites and differences between the Germany and British governments.
*
The German government is a federal parliamentary republic, while the British government is a parliamentary constitutional monarchy. Both countries have a bicameral legislative system, with an upper and lower house. They also both have a chancellor/prime minister as the head of government and a president/monarch as the head of state. However, the German president has only ceremonial duties, while the British monarch has no political power but serves as a symbolic figurehead. Additionally, the German government has a more proportional representation electoral system, while the British government has a first-past-the-post system. Finally, the German government has a written constitution, while the British government has an unwritten constitution relying on traditions and precedents.
The similarities between the German and British governments include the fact that both are parliamentary systems, meaning that they have a democratically elected legislature and an executive branch led by a prime minister. Additionally, both countries have a constitutional monarchy, with a hereditary monarch serving as a ceremonial head of state.
However, there are also significant differences between the two governments. One major difference is the structure of their legislatures. In Germany, the legislature is known as the Bundestag and consists of multiple political parties, with seats allocated based on proportional representation. In contrast, the British legislature, known as Parliament, follows a first-past-the-post voting system, where the candidate with the most votes in each district wins.
Another difference lies in the executive branch. In Germany, the head of government is the Chancellor, who is elected by the Bundestag and serves as the chief executive. In contrast, the British head of government is the Prime Minister, who is generally the leader of the political party with the most seats in Parliament.
Furthermore, the role and powers of the monarch differ in the two countries. In Germany, the monarch has no political power and serves as a figurehead. In Britain, while the monarch holds limited political power, they exercise significant symbolic and ceremonial roles.
Overall, despite some similarities in being parliamentary systems with constitutional monarchies, the German and British governments have distinct differences in their legislative structures, executive branches, and the role of the monarch.