Germany
2026
- GOVERNMENT
- federal parliamentary republic
- CONSTITUTION
- May 23, 1949, became the constitution of unified Germany on October 3, 1990; amended several times, last in 2020
- LEGAL SYSTEM
- civil law; recognizes ICJ jurisdiction as mandatory with reservations
- LEGISLATIVE SYSTEM
- bicameral Parliament (Parlament), Federal Assembly (Bundestag) and Federal Council (Bundesrat)
- JUDICIAL SYSTEM
- Federal Court of Justice (the court is composed of 127 judges, including the court president, vice presidents, presiding judges, other judges and organized into 25 senates divided into 12 civil chambers, 5 criminal chambers, and 8 special chambers); Federal Constitutional Court or Bundesverfassungsgericht (composed of 2 senates each divided into 3 chambers, each with a president and 8 members); Federal Administrative Court; Federal Finance Court; Federal Labor Court; Federal Social Court; each of the 16 federal states or Länder has its own constitutional court and a hierarchy of ordinary (civil, criminal, family) and specialized (administrative, financial, labor, social) courts; two English-speaking commercial courts were opened at the end of 2020 in the state of Baden-Wuerttemberg: the English-speaking commercial court in Stuttgart and the English-speaking commercial court in Mannheim
RELIGIONS
Roman Catholic 26%, Protestant 23.7%, Muslim 3.6%, other 4.8%, none 41.9% (estimate 2021)
From the country
- JANUARY 1, 2002GermanyDEATH PENALTY
The Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany at Art
The Basic Law of the Federal Republic of Germany at Art
- DECEMBER 15, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Turkish Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said that...
Turkish Justice Minister Hikmet Sami Turk said that he cannot give assurances to Germany that Metin Kaplan, would not be executed if Germany decides to extradite him to Turkey
- DECEMBER 12, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Germany banned an Islamic extremist group, the Cologne-based...
Germany banned an Islamic extremist group, the Cologne-based State of Califat, and warned that similar groups could also be shut down under security laws tightened since terrorist attacks on September 11
- NOVEMBER 22, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
A prominent Islamist in prison in Germany has foregone...
A prominent Islamist in prison in Germany has foregone his privilege of early release, reportedly because he fears deportation to Turkey, where he may face the death sentence
- NOVEMBER 15, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Eight Western aid workers, locked in Afghan prisons...
Eight Western aid workers, locked in Afghan prisons and fearing for their lives, were freed by anti-Taliban fighters and spirited to safety aboard U
- NOVEMBER 9, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Australian, US and German special forces may mount...
Australian, US and German special forces may mount a risky operation to rescue the eight western aid workers being held hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan
- NOVEMBER 9, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Australian, US and German special forces may mount...
Australian, US and German special forces may mount a risky operation to rescue the eight western aid workers being held hostage by the Taliban in Afghanistan
- NOVEMBER 8, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Libya, a former state sponsor of terrorism, is backing...
Libya, a former state sponsor of terrorism, is backing the US-led war on terror and trying to free eight Western aid workers on trial for their lives in Afghanistan
- NOVEMBER 5, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
The German foreign ministry said that it was urgently...
The German foreign ministry said that it was urgently trying to contact eight aid workers accused by the Taliban of spreading Christianity among Afghans
- OCTOBER 31, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
The German government said it hoped to deport a Turkish-born...
The German government said it hoped to deport a Turkish-born Islamic fundamentalist leader after he completed his sentence, provided Turkey gives assurances he won't face the death penalty
- OCTOBER 25, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
The German Christian Democratic Konrad Adenauer Fund...
The German Christian Democratic Konrad Adenauer Fund issued a statement saying the organisation had suspended co-operation with the Lithuanian Christian Democrats led by Kazys Bobelis, after its leaders proposed the re-introduction of capital punishment i
- OCTOBER 23, 2001GermanyDEATH PENALTY
Afghanistan's Supreme Court said it cannot hold regular...
Afghanistan's Supreme Court said it cannot hold regular sessions in the trial of eight foreign aid workers accused of promoting Christianity due to chaos amid the U