Germany is one of the most populous country on earth, stands with his 14th in more than 82 million square Of these, approximately 62 million are eligible to vote. Most recently, 27 parties have submitted to the Bundestag election, of which only 7 were able to choose more than 2% of the electorate votes. 3 parties claim for themselves the concept of People's Party claim, think, then, that nearly everyone can choose for any reason. These are the CDU, CSU and SPD. The other parties are called clientele parties because they appeal to a certain constituency. The FDP, the wealthy and "the economy", the Greens and environmentalists and disarmament, the Left the workers, the poor and Linksintelektuellen and the pirates and the Internet community. Only the parties that the nationwide company in the second vote count, the 5% hurdle and bring it in at least three constituencies on a direct mandate to come to the Bundestag, where they form a so-called Group. A single non-party member can also be directly elected in the Bundestag and that on the first vote. This will then be attached.
In general, the Bundestag has 612 members, by so-called overhang mandates, it may well be even over 620. On this detail but I would not go in that context. About half of the deputies will be directly over a sent the 299 constituencies in the Bundestag, the other ones on the Land lists of parties. A good place on the national list is usually reserved for party grandees who have made over many years deserves. New people usually come on the back seat.
Almost a quarter of politicians are lawyers, 13.5% are teachers, and nearly 5% each economists, political scientists or officials. More than half the members come from just 5 fields of work. Just under a third of MPs are women, and when it comes to the age of the people's representatives, then this is about 50 years, about 8% above the German average age of 42. Just over 2% of MPs are under the age of 30 years.
The elections to the Bundestag are held every 4 years. The parties present their election platforms, the respective tours advertising, beer tents and speak in public places (Merkel is ...). The electorate can I watch the programs are usually not spread his sympathies and goes to the polls. Once there he must forgive his first vote (direct candidate) and his second vote (country list). Most of the electorate has been busy at that time little more than an hour with the person of the candidate. Several magazines offer choice aids, such as at the ballot-o-Mat, which are usually drawn to play rate.
In any case, be made now 2 crosses the political will of checkmarks to 4 years at the mercy bind. Best of all: the choice program, or campaign promises not to be met. Although voters may have decided on the basis of the platform or the election promises for a candidate and a party, the MPs behind quite free in their decision-making. In addition, it has been customary in Germany to vote in closed groups. This means that all FDP members choose streamlined usually the same, just as the CDU, CSU, SPD, Greens and Left representatives. In a coalition can thus designated minority concerns suddenly get a majority vote. Although truly exceptional, happen unprecedented things, we are the mercy of the creative will and discernment are elected.
And so it happens that: If a bank within a few weeks saved over 100 billion € from bankruptcy, soldiers will be sent to Afghanistan in terms extend for nuclear power plants, hotels in Germany just 12% of the VAT to be paid and a partner country from the Euro zone 8 billion euros in development aid are promised. In Germany, by Internet, telephone marketing, restrictive contracts in fitness centers, banks, insurance companies, Payback cards, gas stations, telecom providers can systematically using the law to rip off run.
The list of decisions which most likely by a majority of Germans would be rejected outright, would fill many pages.
We're powerless on the sidelines and have to be content that the makers are democratically and we finally could have chosen differently.
And by now we wonder: Is there another way? What is our democracy worth? Who really makes the policy when there are so many dubious decisions? Why is it always tells me that I could still occur for participating in a party. Why do I need to connect one of these clubs, along with other citizens of my democratic INTERESTS? Why there is no direct democracy, where can I get to the actual problem?
