UNIT 3: Political Systems of EuropeThe focus of this unit is the major political developments that spread across Europe, as well as the development and expansion of the European Union
Suggested Vocabulary
Distribution of Power
Citizen Participation
Modern European Governments
There are several types of government in Europe. The governments of the United Kingdom, Germany, and Russia are described below.
Federal Republic of Germany
The Federal Republic of Germany (Germany) has a federal system of government, which means that power is share between a central government and 16 state governments. Germany's leadership includes a president and a chancellor. The president is the head of state but has little political power. The chancellor is the powerful head of government. He is elected by one of the houses of Germany's Parliament. The two houses of the legislature (Parliament) are Bundestag and the Bundesrat. Germany's constitution guarantees basic rights and personal freedoms like the right to vote, equal rights, and freedom of speech, religion, and press.
Government in Germany
Russian Federation
The Russian Federation (Russia) is a federation established in 1991 where power is divided between a central government and 89 smaller political units. The Russian government was established in 1991 when the Soviet Union dissolved. Its leader is a president elected by the people. The president then appoints a prime minister, who is second-place in leadership. Russia's legislature, the Federal Assembly, has two houses called the Federation Council and the State Duma.
Russia ratified a new constitution in 1993. It guarantees basic rights and personal freedoms like the right to vote, equal rights, and freedom of religion, speech, and the press. Other important rights granted, which were often denied during Communist rule, include the right to private telephone calls and mail correspondence, and freedom of movement, which allows citizens to leave Russia and come back freely.
Government in Russia
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Norther Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (United Kingdom) has a parliamentary system of government. The leadership of the United Kingdom includes a monarch (king or queen) as the ceremonial head of state. The monarch, who today is Queen Elizabeth II, has very little power. The prime minister is the head of government. The power in the UK's government lies with Parliament (the legislature), which makes the country's laws and elects the prime minister. Parliament has two houses-the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Citizens are granted basic rights and personal freedoms like the right to vote and freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly.
Government in the United Kingdom
Government Transitions in Central Europe
After World War II, the Soviet Union set up authoritarian communist governments in many Central European countries, including Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. These countries, though officially independent, were really controlled by the Soviets. When the Soviet Union started making government reforms in the 1980s, these countries were able to do the same. The authoritarian governments collapsed in the Soviet Union and Central European countries.In 1993, the democratically elected government of Czechoslovakia agreed to divide into two countries: the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The authoritarian government would never have allowed this division.
The European Union (EU)
The European Union was created to bring European countries together economically and politically. Today, there are 25 member nations. Each year, more countries are added to the EU. Now, EU citizens are allowed to move between most EU countries without passports. EU citizens may vote in EU Parliament elections. Also, EU citizens may vote in local elections for another country as long as they live in that area. For example, a French citizen may vote in a London, England election as long as he or she lives in London and has EU citizenship.
Suggested Vocabulary
- Unitary
- Confederation
- Federal (Federation)
- Oligarchy
- Democratic
- Autocratic
- Dictatorship
- Unitary
- Federal Republic
- Parliamentary Democracy
- Presidential Democracy
- Chief of State
- Head of Government
- European Union
- Euro
Distribution of Power
- Unitary
- Power is in the hands of one person or group
- National government has more power than local governments
- Confederation
- Local governments have more power than national government
- Each region governs most of its own affairs
- Regions sometimes consider themselves independent
- Example: the European Union
- Federal
- Power is divided between national and local governments
- Local governments control local affairs but also obey the national government
- Usually it is the government of large democracies
- Examples: Germany, Russia
Citizen Participation
- Autocratic
- Citizens have little control over the government
- Power is in the hands of one person
- Oligarchic
- A small group of people control the government
- Most people are not able to affect the government
- Democratic
- Citizens have more ability to participate than they do in other governments
- Government leaders are elected into power, directly or indirectly
- Citizens often participate in voting on laws
- Examples: United Kingdom, Germany, Russia
- Parliamentary
- Citizens vote for members of the legislative branch
- The executive leader (or prime minister) is appointed from the legislature
- Head of government and head of state are two different people
- Example: United Kingdom
- Presidential
- Citizens usually vote for members of the executive and legislative branch
- A single person is elected as chief executive (or president)
- The president is both head of government (chief executive) and head of state
- Example: United States
Modern European Governments
There are several types of government in Europe. The governments of the United Kingdom, Germany, and Russia are described below.
Federal Republic of Germany
The Federal Republic of Germany (Germany) has a federal system of government, which means that power is share between a central government and 16 state governments. Germany's leadership includes a president and a chancellor. The president is the head of state but has little political power. The chancellor is the powerful head of government. He is elected by one of the houses of Germany's Parliament. The two houses of the legislature (Parliament) are Bundestag and the Bundesrat. Germany's constitution guarantees basic rights and personal freedoms like the right to vote, equal rights, and freedom of speech, religion, and press.
Government in Germany
- Type: Federal Republic
- Leader: President (elected by the Bundestag and state parliaments for a 5-year term) and Chancellor (head of the Bundestag, elected by the Bundestag for a 4-year term)
- Legislature: Bicameral Parliament, with the Bundestag and the Bundesrat
- Role of citizens: Citizens vote for members of the Bundestag
Russian Federation
The Russian Federation (Russia) is a federation established in 1991 where power is divided between a central government and 89 smaller political units. The Russian government was established in 1991 when the Soviet Union dissolved. Its leader is a president elected by the people. The president then appoints a prime minister, who is second-place in leadership. Russia's legislature, the Federal Assembly, has two houses called the Federation Council and the State Duma.
Russia ratified a new constitution in 1993. It guarantees basic rights and personal freedoms like the right to vote, equal rights, and freedom of religion, speech, and the press. Other important rights granted, which were often denied during Communist rule, include the right to private telephone calls and mail correspondence, and freedom of movement, which allows citizens to leave Russia and come back freely.
Government in Russia
- Type: Federation
- Leader: President (elected by the people for a 4-year term) and Prime Minister (appointed by President)
- Legislature: Bicameral Federal Assembly, with the Federation Council and the Duma
- Role of citizens: Citizens vote for members of the Duma
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Norther Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (United Kingdom) has a parliamentary system of government. The leadership of the United Kingdom includes a monarch (king or queen) as the ceremonial head of state. The monarch, who today is Queen Elizabeth II, has very little power. The prime minister is the head of government. The power in the UK's government lies with Parliament (the legislature), which makes the country's laws and elects the prime minister. Parliament has two houses-the House of Commons and the House of Lords. Citizens are granted basic rights and personal freedoms like the right to vote and freedom of speech, press, religion, and assembly.
Government in the United Kingdom
- Type: Parliamentary system
- Leader: Monarch (symbolic leader) and Prime Minister (head of government & head of legislative branch); Prime Minister must resign if Parliament passes a vote of no confidence or if a different majority party gains power through Parliament elections
- Legislature: Bicameral (2-chamber) Parliament with House of Lords (receive positions on qualifications like nobility, have less power) and House of Commons (elected, have more power); House of Lords is asked to approve legislation from the House of Commons, but approval from Lords is not necessary to become law; House of Commons only chamber that can propose financial legislation
- Constitution: a collection of different documents, statutes (laws) and traditions; any law passed is considered part of the constitution, and the legislative branch determines if a law is constitutional or not
- Role of citizens: Citizens vote for members of the House of Commons
Government Transitions in Central Europe
After World War II, the Soviet Union set up authoritarian communist governments in many Central European countries, including Poland, Hungary, and Czechoslovakia. These countries, though officially independent, were really controlled by the Soviets. When the Soviet Union started making government reforms in the 1980s, these countries were able to do the same. The authoritarian governments collapsed in the Soviet Union and Central European countries.In 1993, the democratically elected government of Czechoslovakia agreed to divide into two countries: the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The authoritarian government would never have allowed this division.
The European Union (EU)
The European Union was created to bring European countries together economically and politically. Today, there are 25 member nations. Each year, more countries are added to the EU. Now, EU citizens are allowed to move between most EU countries without passports. EU citizens may vote in EU Parliament elections. Also, EU citizens may vote in local elections for another country as long as they live in that area. For example, a French citizen may vote in a London, England election as long as he or she lives in London and has EU citizenship.