COMPARING UNITED KINGDOM, GERMANY AND RUSSIA

By: Jai Jacobs

United Kingdom

Parliamentary System of the UK

•Unitary system: the central has all the power

•Democracy: citizens hold the power. They all vote

• Parliamentary Democracy: the leader is elected through the legislature, not directly by the people

Parliamentary System •Parliament is the lawmaking body of the U.K.

•Composed of the House of Lords and the House of Commons

•The monarch is also a part of parliament

House of Lords •These seats were passed through wealthy families.

•Now the lords are elected by the house or the monarch.

• have power

House of Lords

House of Commons •Citizens elect members

-There are 646 members

•Controls country's budget (LOTS of power)

•The leader of the political party with the most members becomes the prime minister

•Prime minister- is the head of the government

House of Commons

Leadership • The prime minister is the chief executive with the MOST power

- Leader of the British Parliament, works with legislative branch

- Runs the government

• The MONARCH is the official head of state (symbol of country)

-Duties are most ceremonial

-Role is restricted

Queen Elizabeth II

David Cameron

Citizens rights

•Have personal freedoms similar to US

-treated equally

-right to worship

-freedom of speech

-right to fair trial

-Own property

•Does not directly elect the leaders. The house of commons does that!!!

Germany

Federal System•Federal System: the power is shared between the central government and the governments of the 16 states.

•Democracy: citizens of the country hold the power (voting)

•Parliamentary Democracy: the leader is elected through the legislature, not directly by the people

Parliamentary System

•Germany’s is composed of 2 houses: the Bundstag and the Bundesrat

•Germany’s constitution is called the basic law

-Germany is a welfare state: government guarantees people certain benefits when they are unemployed, sick, poor, or disabled.

Bundestag

•Has the MOST power

•Citizens of each German state elect its members

•Members of this house elect the chancellor (chief executive of Germany)

•

Bundestag

Bundesrat •Represents the interests of the state governments

•Each state selects representatives for this house

•Deals with laws that affect states: education & local government issues

Bundesrat

Leadership•CHANCELLOR is the chief executive

-Runs the government

-Elected by the bundestag (legislature)

• The president is the official head of state

- Symbol for country

-Duties are mostly ceremonial

-Representatives of the legislature and the states choose the president

Angela Merkel

Russia

Joachim Gauck

Citizens rights •Similar to US & UK

•Do not directly elect the leaders

Federal System

•Federal System: the power is shared between the central government and the governments of the states

•Democracy: citizens of the country hold the power (vote)

•Parliamentary Democracy: leader is directly elected by the people

Federal Assembly

•The legislature is called the federal assembly

• It has two parts: the Federation Council & the State Duma

Federal Assembly•Has 2 representatives from each state

•States appoint the council’s members; they are not directly elected by the people

•One important duty: approve the president’s choices of people to fill different government jobs

State Duma

•Larger than federation council

-Has 450 members who are elected directly by the people

•This house controls the budget & makes the laws

•Approves the presidents choice for prime minister

Leadership •President is the chief executive with the MOST power

-Elected by the people (presidential democracy)

-Can disband the legislature

•President also picks prime minister

-Helps in the day-to-day running of the government

- Similar to USA’S vice president

Vladimir Putin

Dmitry Medvedev

Citizens rights•Similar 2 the US, UK, & Germany

•Citizens directly elect the leader

Merry Christmas