Compare and contrast the governments of Great Britain and Germany. (Unit 4, Lesson 3 -page 1 &2, World Geography online text book page 391)
Great Britain and Germany are both democratic countries with parliamentary systems of government. However, there are some key differences between the two countries in terms of their governmental structure and organization.
In Great Britain, the government is a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary system. The monarch serves as the ceremonial head of state, while the Prime Minister serves as the head of government and is appointed by the monarch. The Parliament is divided into two houses – the House of Commons and the House of Lords. The Prime Minister is typically the leader of the political party that has the most seats in the House of Commons. In contrast, Germany is a federal republic with a parliamentary system. The President serves as the head of state, while the Chancellor serves as the head of government and is elected by the Bundestag, the German federal parliament. The German government is divided into the Federal Council, which represents the governments of the individual states, and the Bundestag.
Another key difference between the two governments is the way in which laws are passed. In Great Britain, laws are proposed by the government and must be approved by both the House of Commons and the House of Lords before they can become law. In Germany, laws are proposed by the government and must be approved by both the Bundestag and the Bundesrat (the Federal Council) before they can become law.
Overall, while both Great Britain and Germany have parliamentary systems of government, there are some significant differences in their governmental structures and processes.