“The German Federal Republic is classified as a parliamentary democracy … [where] the principle portion of executive power is vested in a … chancellor and his cabinet who are responsible to a parliament and removable by the latter. By contrast, the presidential system … in the United States vests executive power in a president who is both head of state and head of government.”
Regarding this quoted statement, the purpose of my paper shall be a comparison between the United States’ executive and the German counterpart. According to this, especially the functions, roles, and powers of the respective chief executives shall be described and compared. In addition, I would like to portray the reciprocal relationship between the United States’ president, the Executive Office of the President, and the bureaucracy on the one hand, and the reciprocal relationship between the German chancellor, his chancellor’s office (Bundeskanzleramt), the cabinet, his governmental coalition (Regierungskoalition), and the federal ministers. In general, I want to achieve a comparison between both systems regarding their executive powers by pointing out the differences as well as the correspondences between them. Because of this general approach, it is not possible to describe everything in detail to avoid exceeding the framework of my paper. In cases when it will be not possible to provide detailed information, I will recommend for further readings in the footnotes.
Although, this paper shall mainly deal with the respective executive power and although the separation of power between the governmental branches in the United States is stricter than in the federal Republic of Germany, it is unavoidable to draw some conclusions regarding the role of the executive in the interplay with the legislative (the United States’ Congress and the German Bundestag). These references within the examination of the executive power shall be made because in carrying out their roles the branches are bound on each other in their interaction within the political system. Furthermore, these references serve for a better understanding of the whole role of the executive in the respective country.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- Constitutional Developments
- The United States
- The Federal Republic of Germany
- The Executive Power of the American President and the German Chancellor
- The United States' President
- The Election and Powers of the American President
- The Cabinet, the Executive Office of the President, and the Bureaucracy
- The Federal Chancellor of Germany
- The Election and Powers of the German Chancellor
- The Cabinet, the Chancellor's Office, and the Ministerial Bureaucracy
- The United States' President
- Concluding Remarks
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
The primary objective of this paper is to provide a comparative analysis of the executive power structures in the United States and Germany, focusing on the roles, functions, and powers of the respective chief executives. This comparison aims to highlight both the similarities and differences between the presidential system in the United States and the parliamentary system in Germany.
- Constitutional development and historical context of the executive branch in both countries
- The roles and powers of the American President and the German Chancellor within their respective political systems
- The relationship between the chief executive and the legislative branch in both countries
- The structure and function of the executive apparatus, including the cabinet and bureaucratic structures
- The influence of historical events and constitutional principles on the development of the executive branch in both countries
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
- Introduction: This chapter provides a brief overview of the purpose and scope of the paper, outlining the key areas of comparison between the United States and Germany. It emphasizes the differences between the presidential and parliamentary systems and highlights the influence of historical context and constitutional principles on the development of the executive branches.
- Constitutional Developments: This section explores the historical and constitutional development of the executive branches in both the United States and Germany. In the case of the United States, it examines the founding fathers' concerns about centralizing power and the subsequent establishment of a system of checks and balances. It also discusses the powers granted to the President and how they have evolved over time. The chapter also examines the constitutional development of the Federal Republic of Germany, exploring the influence of the United States on the Basic Law (Grundgesetz) and the establishment of a parliamentary system.
- The Executive Power of the American President and the German Chancellor: This section delves into the powers and functions of the American President and the German Chancellor, providing a detailed comparison of their roles within their respective political systems. It analyzes the election processes, the powers vested in each office, and the relationships with their respective cabinets, bureaucracies, and legislative branches.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This paper focuses on the comparison of the executive power structures in the United States and Germany, exploring themes of presidential and parliamentary systems, constitutional development, separation of powers, checks and balances, executive functions, powers of the chief executive, the cabinet, bureaucracy, legislative relations, historical influences, and the role of the executive branch in the political system.
- Quote paper
- Andrea Becker (Author), 2001, The United States´ President and the Federal Chancellor of Germany: A Comparison of the Executiv Power, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/4314
