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German · Vocabulary · B1 to C1

German politics vocabulary: der Bundestag, die Erststimme, die Koalition

Two votes on one ballot · tap a column
Stimmzettel · Bundestagswahl
die ZweitstimmeTSVAIT-shti-methe second vote Chooses a party. It decides how many seats each party gets overall, so it is the more important vote.
Die Zweitstimmethe second-voteentscheidetdecidesüberaboutdie Sitze.the seats
dee TSVAIT-shti-me ent-SHAI-det Ü-ber dee ZIT-se · “The second vote decides the seats.”Why: entscheiden über = to decide on. Der Sitz = seat; plural die Sitze.

Short answer: Germany is a Bundesrepublik (federal republic) of 16 Bundesländer (federal states). The parliament is der Bundestag; the states are represented in der Bundesrat. The head of government is der Bundeskanzler or die Bundeskanzlerin; the head of state, with a mostly ceremonial role, is der Bundespräsident. At an election, each voter has two votes: die Erststimme for a local candidate and die Zweitstimme for a party. Parties almost always govern in a Koalition.

Bund- words: the federal level

Bundestag, Bundesrat, Bundesregierung

Bund means federation. German builds compound nouns (several words joined into one) from it; the gender always comes from the last part: der Tag → der Bundestag, die Regierung → die Bundesregierung.

Bundes- + Tag day, assembly+ Rat council+ Kanzlerin chancellor (f.)+ Land state der Bundestagder Bundesratdie Bundeskanzlerindas Bundesland
The -s- in Bundes- is a linking letter, called a Fugen-s. It joins the parts and has no meaning of its own.
Der Bundestagthe Bundestagbeschließtpassesdie Gesetze.the laws
dair BUN-des-taak be-SHLEEST dee ge-ZE-tse · “The Bundestag passes the laws.”Why: beschließen = to decide, to pass (a law). das Gesetz = law.
Die Bundeskanzlerinthe chancellorführtleadsdie Regierung.the government
dee BUN-des-kants-le-rin FÜRT dee re-GEE-rung · “The chancellor leads the government.”Why: -in makes the feminine form: der Kanzler → die Kanzlerin.
BayernBavariaistiseinaBundesland.federal-state
BAI-ern ist ain BUN-des-lant · “Bavaria is a federal state.”Why: Each Bundesland has its own parliament, der Landtag, and controls schools and police.
Der Bundespräsidentthe federal-presidentunterschreibtsignsdas Gesetz.the law
dair BUN-des-pre-zi-dent un-ter-SHRAIPT das ge-ZETS · “The Federal President signs the law.”Why: unterschreiben is not separable: the stress is on schreib, so unter stays attached.
How a coalition is formed

Von der Wahl zur Regierung

01die WahlVAAL · the electionEvery four years, on a Sunday.
02das Ergebniser-GAYP-nis · the resultParties need 5 % of Zweitstimmen to enter the Bundestag.
03die Sondierungzon-DEE-rung · exploratory talksParties test whether they can work together.
04der Koalitionsvertragko-a-li-TSYOHNS-fair-traak · coalition agreementA long document listing the shared plans.
05die KanzlerwahlKANTS-ler-vaal · chancellor voteThe Bundestag elects the chancellor.
Die Parteienthe partiesbildenformeineaKoalition.coalition
dee par-TAI-en BIL-den AI-ne ko-a-li-TSYOHN · “The parties form a coalition.”Why: eine Koalition bilden = to form a coalition. Coalitions are named after party colours: an Ampel (traffic light) is red, yellow and green.
Giving a political opinion

Ich bin dafür, ich bin dagegen

Dafür (for it) and dagegen (against it) are da-compounds: da + a preposition, standing in for “it” or “that”. Add a dass-clause or a noun with für/gegen to say what you mean.

Ich bin dafür
IchIbinamdafür,for-itdassthatdie Steuernthe taxessinken.fall
ikh BIN da-FÜR, das dee SHTOY-ern ZIN-ken · “I’m in favour of taxes going down.”Why: In a dass-clause the verb goes to the end: sinken.
Ich bin dagegen
IchIbinamgegenagainstdas neuethe newGesetz.law
ikh BIN GAY-gen das NOY-e ge-ZETS · “I’m against the new law.”Why: gegen takes the accusative case (the form for a direct object): das stays das.
Ich unterstütze
IchIunterstützesupportden Vorschlag.the proposal
ikh un-ter-SHTÜ-tse dayn FOHR-shlaak · “I support the proposal.”Why: unterstützen = to support; not separable.
Meiner Meinung nach
Meiner Meinung nachin my opinionistisdasthatfalsch.wrong
MAI-ner MAI-nung NAAKH ist das FALSH · “In my opinion, that’s wrong.”Why: Here nach comes after its noun. Then the verb comes second: ist.
Das kommt darauf an
Dasthatkommtcomesdaraufon-itan.on
das KOMT da-RAUF AN · “That depends.”Why: ankommen auf = to depend on. A separable verb with a da-compound.
Da hast du recht
Datherehasthaveduyourecht.right
daa HAST doo REKHT · “You’re right there.”Why: recht haben = to be right. Polite form: Da haben Sie recht.
Positions and parties

Links, Mitte, rechts

GermanSay itEnglish
linksLINKSleft-wing
rechtsREKHTSright-wing
die MitteMI-tethe centre
konservativkon-zer-va-TEEFconservative
sozialdemokratischzo-tsyaal-de-mo-KRAA-tishsocial democratic
liberalli-be-RAALliberal (pro-market)
grünGRÜNgreen
die Regierungsparteire-GEE-rungs-par-taigoverning party
die Oppositiono-po-zi-TSYOHNthe opposition
der / die AbgeordneteAP-ge-ord-ne-temember of parliament
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