German Politics for Expats, Made Easy: Who Decides What in Germany?
Ask a German friend to explain politics and you may get a 40-minute answer with the word "Bundesrat" in it. Ask an expat and you often get a shrug. That is completely normal. Nobody hands you a manual when you move here, and the system really is built differently from many other countries.
Good news: you do not need a political science degree to understand the basics. You just need one simple idea, and this post is all about that idea. It is also the first post in a slow, friendly series where we explain how German politics, laws and voting work, in plain English and without taking sides.
The one idea that explains most of it
Germany is a federal country. That is the whole secret. Power is not all in Berlin. It is shared between three levels:
- The Bund (federal level). This is Berlin: the chancellor, the federal government and the Bundestag, the parliament. It handles the big national topics such as foreign policy, defence, federal laws and a large part of taxes.
- The Länder (the 16 states). Think of Bavaria, Berlin, Hesse, North Rhine-Westphalia and so on. Each state has its own constitution, parliament, government and courts. This is where a lot of everyday life is decided.
- The Gemeinden (cities and municipalities). Your city or town hall. They run the local things you meet every week and they are self-governing.
That is it. Three levels. When something in Germany feels confusing, ask yourself: which level is responsible for this?
A quick example to make it click
Take schools. In Germany, schools are mostly a matter for the Länder, not for Berlin. That is why the school system looks different in Bavaria than in Hamburg, and why families who move between states often find that things work differently. It is not a mistake, it is the system.
Now take your Anmeldung (address registration), your local bus ticket or your Kita (daycare) place. These are mostly handled at the city level. And visas, citizenship rules and the big tax laws? Those are set at the federal level, although local offices carry them out.
So the same person can deal with three different levels of government in one week and never notice. Once you see it, a lot of "why is this so complicated?" moments become "ah, different level."
Who makes the laws?
At the federal level, laws are made by two bodies working together:
- The Bundestag, elected by voters, which debates and passes federal laws.
- The Bundesrat, which represents the 16 states. Through it, the Länder have a say in federal laws.
In simple terms: Berlin proposes, but the states get a voice. This is by design. After its history, Germany wanted power spread out and checked, so that no single place holds all of it. The German term is Gewaltenteilung (separation of powers), and you will see the idea come up again in this series.
Federal law also generally wins when it clashes with state law. So the states have real power, but within limits.
Money works the same way
Even taxes are shared. Some taxes mainly go to the federal level, some to the states, and big ones such as income tax, wage tax and VAT are split between the levels, with municipalities getting a share too. Poorer states also receive support, so that they can still provide basic public services. You do not need the details yet. Just remember the idea: shared power, shared money.
Why should an expat care?
Because it answers questions you will have sooner or later:
- Who do I contact about my problem, the city, the state or the federal office?
- Why do rules for schools, police or holidays differ between states?
- Where do laws that affect my visa, my taxes or my rent actually come from?
- And later in this series: can I vote, and where?
Cheat sheet to save
- Federal level (Bund): foreign policy, defence, national laws, a large share of taxes.
- State level (Länder): schools, police, and many local rules; each state has its own parliament and government.
- Local level (Gemeinden): town hall services, local transport, registrations and daycare, and local councils.
- Laws: Bundestag plus Bundesrat. Federal law usually wins over state law.
What is coming next in the series
We are going slowly on purpose. Next up, in the posts that follow:
- How a law is made in Germany, step by step and without the jargon.
- Who can vote where, and what that means for expats.
- Local politics that affects your daily life, such as rent, daycare and transport.
- Ways to take part and be heard even if you cannot vote.
Want to follow along? Follow Find Around Hub and check the Related Posts below as each new part comes out.
Before you go: useful next steps
- Get our free expat resources. Guides, checklists and templates are collected on our Beacons page: beacons.ai/find.around
- Know your city. Find your city's website and bookmark the Bürgerservice page. It is the front door to most everyday local services.
Which part of German politics confuses you the most? Tell us in the comments or send us a message, and we will cover it in the series.
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