Democracy
Germany has had a long history since the creation of the nation-state in 1871. It has faced many challenges, including the World Wars and the dictatorship of National Socialism. The Federal Republic of Germany was founded in 1949 and has learned from its history. fundamental law having 76 years and a stable democracy supported by about 84 million citizens is proof of that.
The Basic Law (Grundgesetz) constitutes the most important legal foundation for communal life in Germany and defines the following characteristics:
- Rule of law: the public authority is subject to laws and is divided into legislative power (which legislates), executive power (which implements), and judicial power (which administers justice) in order to counteract abuses.
- Federal state: power is divided between the 16 federal states ("Länder") and the central state.
- Welfare state: the government ensures justice and social security, for example by supporting people who are unemployed, sick, or elderly.
These principles are valid forever and must not be abolished by amendments to the Basic Law or by a new constitution.
Individual freedom
The constitution also guarantees to every individual other fundamental rights such as the free development of personality, equality before the law, freedom of belief, freedom of the press and expression, freedom of peaceful and unarmed assembly, the free choice of profession, and protection against political persecution. Furthermore, the... General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) protects rights such as sexual identity. These laws allow everyone to lead a free, self-determined, and secure life in Germany and encourage social diversity.
The EU and Germany's partners
Thanks to numerous agreements, partnerships, and memberships in organizations, Germany maintains friendly relations with many countries around the world and engages with them in support of peace, democracy, and human rights. Germany is a member of the European Union (EU), which allows citizens to freedom of movementThis means that they can travel, live, shop, study, and work freely within the EU. There is also the freedom of movement of people, goods, services, and capital, and any discrimination based on nationality is prohibited. You will find more information on the freedom of movement for employers and workers, and much more at EU Equal Treatment Service.
Germany is also a member of the United Nations (UN), NATO, and the G7 and G20 groups. These international collaborations are complemented by numerous bilateral partnerships and trade agreements.
Germany is a safe country.
Since its foundation, Germany has been very stable politically. The separation of public powers prevents abuses of power and ensures legal security. This means that the laws and independent jurisprudence can be trusted. Germany is one of the safest countries in the world. According to the... « Global Peace Index » in 2024, Germany is ranked 20th out of 163 countries and the Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) of 2023 it also ranks in the top 10 of countries resistant to corruption.
In order to maintain internal security and stability, the federal government invests heavily in security research. In case of an emergency, a network of security authorities and emergency services is available to ensure the safety of the population and civil protection at a high technical and organizational level.