I'm wanting to do a comparison piece about how the federal governmental systems work in Australia, Canada and Germany with how a UK-wide (ie one including an English parliament) system might work. I'm looking for any information at all to do with how they work in practice and in particular how the demands or requirements of the larger states, provinces or landers are accomodated within the overall national system. Drop me either an email or post a comment below.
Thanks.
4 comments:
Will email tonight when I get home with a few book suggestions
Sorry O'Neill, can't be of assistance there.
Tim
German system in a nutshell: according to the (largely US-inspired) Basic Law, the division of powers between the federal and Land governments is a complex but consistent one. Certain areas (foreign affairs, defence, monetary policy) are strictly federal. Certain areas are exclusively dealt with at Land level - hence, no federal education minister. Some areas overlap.
The upper house works in an interesting and I think unique way, in that you don't have elected senators. Each Land government sends a delegation representing the Land government. But if a Land has, say, five votes in the Bundesrat and an SPD-Green coalition, that doesn't equate to four SPD and one Green. The Land delegation votes en bloc as instructed by the Land government. Means that votes aren't exactly predictable on party lines.
Thanks for that (and to fair Deal in advance).
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