Germania Governo Profilo 2008

Capitale

nome: Berlin
coordinate geografiche: 52 31 N, 13 24 E
differenza di tempo: UTC+1 (6 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
daylight saving time: +1hr, begins last Sunday in March; ends last Sunday in October

Indipendenza

18 Gennaio 1871 (German Empire unification); divided into four zones of occupation (UK, US, USSR, and later, France) in 1945 following World War II; Federal Republic of Germany (FRG or West Germany) proclaimed 23 Maggio 1949 and included the former UK, US, and French zones; German Democratic Republic (GDR or East Germany) proclaimed 7 Ottobre 1949 and included the former USSR zone; unification of West Germany and East Germany took place 3 Ottobre 1990; all four powers formally relinquished rights 15 Marzo 1991

Festa nazionale

Unity Day, 3 Ottobre (1990)

Costituzione

23 Maggio 1949, known as Basic Law; became constitution of the united Germany 3 Ottobre 1990

Suffragio

18 anni; universal

Ramo esecutivo

capo dello stato: Presidente Horst KOEHLER (da allora 1 July 2004)
capo di governo: Chancellor Angela MERKEL (da allora 22 November 2005)
cabinet: Cabinet or Bundesminister (Federal Ministers) appointed by the president on the recommendation of the chancellor
elections: president elected for a five-year term (eligible for a second term) by a Federal Convention, including all members of the Federal Assembly and an equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments; election last held 23 May 2004 (next scheduled for 23 May 2009); chancellor elected by an absolute majority of the Federal Assembly for a four-year term; Bundestag vote for Chancellor last held 22 November 2005 (next will follow the national elections to be held by autumn 2009)
election results: Horst KOEHLER elected president; received 604 votes of the Federal Convention against 589 for Gesine SCHWAN; Angela MERKEL elected chancellor; vote by Federal Assembly 397 to 202 with 12 abstentions