Why Is Psychology A Good Career

The waiver and re-elected President

's resignation and new elections the German Federal President

By: Geraldine Gonzalez de la Vega

The German Federal President (Bundespräsident) is the Head of State. Representing the German nation in international issues and is elected by a Federal Convention (Bundesversammlung) composed of members of the Bundestag or lower house and an equal number of elected members in the Landtag (local parliaments) based on proportional representation.

may be subject to impeachment for violation of the Basic Law or Federal Law. The Grundgesetz or Basic Law gives the president powers to be mainly representative to prevent problems that occurred during the Weimar Republic. Although you can mention some important functions of highest constitutional body: The choice the Federal Chancellor, Federal President may propose a candidate, however, this proposal is not binding for the Bundestag. Any official act of the President requires the approval of the Federal Government and, unlike the Reich President during the Weimar Republic, can not enact emergency decrees.

The Federal President is responsible for signing the law in order to be published in the Bundesgesetzblatt (Official Gazette) and take effect. You can refuse to sign a bill if you doubt their constitutionality, but in this case, the other constitutional bodies (Bundestag, Bundesrat and the Federal Government) may appeal to the Constitutional Court to decide the case. If the Constitutional Court decides the constitutionality of law, the Federal President should sign it or resign.

Only in some specific situations of emergency, the Federal President has real political power, may dissolve the Federal Parliament (Bundestag) in two cases: If the Federal Chancellor's election no candidate wins an absolute majority after three ballots, the Federal President may choose to appoint the candidate voted to form a minority government or dissolve the Bundestag and call new elections (Article 63 of the Grundgesetz). However, since 1949, has never been the case.

addition, the Federal President may dissolve the Bundestag if the Chancellor presents a question of confidence and lose it (Article 68 Grundgesetz). To date, this has happened three times: in 1972 with Willy Brandt in 1983 with Helmut Kohl and Gerhard Schröder in 2005. However, all these solutions have been caused on purpose by the Federal Government to allow early elections, as the German parliamentary system does not provide any other way to dissolve the Bundestag. The censure motion is constructive. Brandt presented to legitimize his government, having been almost removed by a motion of censure was designed to replace by Rainer Barzel the CDU. Helmut Kohl on the other hand, came to the government through the motion of censure that removed Helmut Schmidt, the SPD. Kohl, the CDU / CSU wanted to legitimize his government by popular vote. Gerhard Schröder the SPD introduced the issue of confidence to legitimize his rule and reforms in social security and labor was performed. During the first months of 2005, the SPD lost several local elections, which Schröder interpreted as lack of support from citizens. The coalition of Schroeder and Fischer miscalculated, because after dissolving the Bundestag, the government lost at the hands of Angela Merkel in September 2005.

Back to Federal President

Horst Köhler, who was reelected on May 23, 2009, had already 6 years in office, with a low profile and conservative . Last year he won the exact number of votes representing 50% +1 (613) in the first round. Gesine Schwan, the candidate of the SPD and Greens, won 503 votes.

On Monday May 31, 2010, Horst Köhler resigned unexpectedly , because it considered that "lost respect for the office" for a controversial statements that he had made occasion of his visit to the German army in Afghanistan. Köhler said: "In extreme cases, military force is necessary to secure our interests, for example the protection of our trade lanes." This was criticized by the opposition, and even within their own ranks. Köhler felt that these criticisms were missing respect for his office and submitted his resignation immediately, leaving hanging the German state during the economic crisis and yes, politics. Just a week earlier, the Minister President of Hessen, Roland Koch of the CDU, had announced his resignation from politics in August, giving a good blow to Angela Merkel, who seems unable to achieve consensus within his party, which remains its President. His poor performance against the Greek crisis and its inability to build consensus with your partner, the Liberals of FDP, we have downgraded confidence and Merkel's government has accepted the worst rates in history. Köhler did not think twice Castillo left the presidential residence Bellevue-Berlin-the first time.

That Monday was known about the 12hrs that the President had called a press conference at 14hrs, no one knew why. In a short speech, Köhler explained the reasons for his resignation and left everyone speechless. The news did not know how to react, started the speculation "must be other reasons," he claimed " " now what's next? " asked. Immediately advised the President of the Bundesrat, Böhrnsen Jens, took office as interim . Initially the resignation received positive reviews, though perhaps more from abroad, in Mexico for example I read that people appreciated the value of Köhler to accept his mistake and resign, something rare in these times in our country. But the truth is that in Germany , from right to left, his resignation was criticadísima. Köhler, who comes from "financial caste" was the Financial Times the headline of "deserter"

Merkel and Vice Chancellor, Westerwelle appeared a couple of hours later regret the resignation. Merkel in a damage control effort, minimized the note giving a press conference to discuss the resignation and Flotilla attack by the army of Israel, thereby giving equal weight to the notes and down the hysteria. To a question by q "ho's next? Chancellor said this was a day to remember the work of Köhler, and then announce who would be the new (a) candidate by the coalition government: CDU / FDP.

between Tuesday and Thursday, the name that rang was the strongest of the current Labour Minister, Ursula von der Leyen, whose political career began only in 1996. 4 The list of names that sounded since the resignation of Köhler at the headquarters of the government were: Ursula von der Leyen (Minister of Labour), Christian Wulff (Lower Saxony Minister-President), Wolfgang Schäuble (Minister of Finance) and Norbert Lammert (President of the Bundestag).

On behalf of the SPD and Greens were heard the names of Peer Steinbrück (former Minister of Finance) and Margo Käßmann, Minister of the Evangelical Church (who in early 2010 was involved in a scandal for having driven a car with high levels of alcohol, why he had to resign the presidency of the board of the German Evangelical Church).

June 3 to begin the litigation of testosterone, the possible nomination of Ursula von der Leyen and Merkel's favorite was disputed by the governor of Lower Saxony, Christian Wulff. While everyone is dealing with von der Leyen, Wulff lobbied for support in states led by the so-called "Landesfürsten" or "barons of the CDU," Wulff their votes in the bag, lifted his hand and pulled von der Leyen. actually is said that he would have the support of a majority in the Federal Convention which will meet June 30 to elect the President.

personally seen more sympathetically von der Leyen option because his personality would revitalize the presidency, as dull and conservative, and because it would open the possibilities in the state of Nord-Rhein Westfalen (North Rhine had elections a month) to form a government, as Rüttgers, the governor of the CDU did not obtain a majority, have gone instead of von der Leyen the Ministry of Labour. NRW is now stuck in the negotiations and it appears that we will have new elections.

But not vary, the conservative Union barons wanted to do it their way. Although I must say that the fact that Wulff has been chosen by the coalition of Merkel and if he managed to be elected as President, the Chancellor would be quiet, as he was seen as the only realistic chance of challenging under Angela Merkel, after the resignation of Roland Koch, Merkel has no rival within his party.

About the 6pm June 3 the SPD and Green submitted their candidate for President: Joachim Gauck, human rights activist in the former GDR, a member of first democratically elected parliament in East Germany and first director of the Stasi files. If the election for President was direct, I dare say Gauck win, by far.

An hour later, Angela Merkel had Christian Wulff candidate along with Deputy Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle.

Therefore, the match to succeed will be between Gauck Köhler (SPD / Greens) and Wulff (CDU / CSU / FDP), Die Linke as though the journalist has nominated Lukrezia Joachims and NPD (far right) intends to nominate Frank Rennicke again, the reality is that their candidates do not have enough votes to achieve their triumph.

The opposition criticized by Wulff as a man of daily politics capable of polarizing and do not represent all Germans. On the other hand, consider a person Gauck is above political parties, able to represent and unite.

Christian Wulff, only by numbers, should be the winner because the coalition (CDU / CSU + FDP) will probably the 647 votes. 623 of the Convention need to be 1244 members. But it seems that although the numbers say otherwise, Gauck would be able to contest the victory to Wulff, it is said that within the coalition not everyone is happy with his nomination, members of the FDP in the so-called new states (those belonging the RDA) say they prefer to Gauck. The same is true of many members of the Convention that are not members of the Bundestag.

The President of the Bundestag, Norbert Lammert, and has called the 14. Bundesversammlung for the day June 30, so that the days are numbered for integration (each state will have to nominate their representatives), and for candidates to achieve the necessary support to achieve 50% +1 of the votes available 1244.

The vote was made without debate and will be elected president the person who obtains an absolute majority vote of the Convention, if after two ballots, no candidate receives a majority will elect the person who had the highest number of votes. The mandate of the Federal President is five years with possibility of reelection.

Köhler's victory in 2009 was a political achievement for Merkel, as the government was still formed by the grand coalition (between the CDU and SPD), Merkel had succeeded in having his candidate wins, the candidate who had actually been proposed by The FDP for 5 years. Köhler which obtains the majority of the first, was an omen for his victory in elections in September, where indeed the CDU and FDP were able to form a "government of their dreams." Things have not gone as expected, and now I dare to predict that the losing candidate of the CDU / FDP (Christian Wulff) would apply the same rule, but in the opposite direction would be the beginning the end for Angela Merkel.