27 Arts. 38 et seq. GG: Organs of the Federal Government

Abstract

This chapter discusses the relevant provisions of Art. 38 et seq. of the Grundgesetz (GG) with regard to the following organs of the federal government: the Bundestag, the Bundesrat, the Federal President, the Federal Convention, and the Federal Government. It first examines the Federal Constitutional Court's jurisprudence regarding the Bundestag, the election of its members as well as their position, rights and duties, and committees (in particular, committees of inquiry). It then considers the Bundesrat and the question of whether it is a constitutional organ, along with the Federal President and the Federal Assembly. It also looks at the Federal Government, focussing on its powers in the context of deciding whether personnel affairs relating to civil servants belonged to its mandate, its information policy, whether commentary made by members of the Federal Government constitute permissible or impermissible political activity, and dissolution of the Bundestag.