Fragen 121 bis 150

The minimum share of 5 per cent of the second votes is called the 5 per cent hurdle (Section 4(2) of the Federal Electoral Act). "Admission limit", "base value" and "guideline" are not common or correct terms for it.

Article 38(1) of the Basic Law names the electoral principles: general, direct, free, equal and secret. The other combinations contain no electoral principles.

The 5 per cent hurdle lays down how many voter votes a party needs at least in order to enter the Bundestag. It is not a voting or attendance rule in the Bundestag or the Bundesrat.

In the Bundestag election, citizens elect the federal parliament, the Bundestag. The Federal Chancellor is elected by the Bundestag, the Land parliaments by the citizens of the Länder, and the Federal President by the Federal Assembly.

Regular elections make it possible to vote a government out and replace it with another if the majority of voters want that. Voting is voluntary, laws are amended or retained by parliament, and elections are not meant to favour individual groups.

Before the election, the municipality sends all eligible voters a voting notification with the polling station and voting hours. There is no "voting permit" from the Federal President and no notification from the Federal Assembly or the parish office.

The 5 per cent hurdle is intended to prevent many small parties from entering the Bundestag and making it difficult to form stable governments. Common programmes, voters losing their orientation or a lack of money on the part of the parties are not the legal reason.

Members of a parliament elected by the people are called "Abgeordnete" (members of parliament). Chancellors, ambassadors and minister-presidents are not called members of parliament and are not directly elected by the people.

The Bundestag is elected directly by the people (Article 38 of the Basic Law). The Federal Chancellor is elected by the Bundestag, the Minister-President of a Land by the Land parliament, and the Federal President by the Federal Assembly.

A ballot paper is valid if the voter's will is clearly recognisable, for example through one cross each for the first and second vote; this is how ballot paper 1 is designed in the official model in Annex 26 of the Federal Electoral Regulations. Ballot papers without a marking, with several crosses for one vote or with additions that leave the will unclear are invalid.

The mayor is the head of the municipal administration and is usually elected by the citizens or by the municipal council. School leadership, bank management and party chairmanship are different offices.

Voluntary ("ehrenamtlich") means working of one's own free will and without pay, mostly in associations, organisations or social institutions. Soldiers and employees of the Federal Government or a hospital, by contrast, do paid work.

In Bundestag and Land parliament elections, postal voting is permitted if one cannot or does not want to go to the polling station on election day. Voting for others, by telephone or by children under 18 is not permitted.

A citizens' initiative is the right way to build political pressure to keep the bus line; it collects signatures and approaches the municipality and the transport company. A sports club, the tax office and the forestry office have nothing to do with the bus line.

Trade unions represent the interests of employees, for example in collective bargaining. Companies are represented by employers' associations and the self-employed by their own associations.

The labour court is responsible for dismissals and other disputes arising from the employment relationship (Section 2 of the Labour Court Act). Utility bills, neighbourhood disputes and traffic accidents belong before other courts.

The labour court is responsible for disputes arising from the employment relationship, such as dismissals or wage claims (Section 2 of the Labour Court Act). Family, criminal and local courts deal with other cases.

Against an unlawful dismissal one can file an action for protection against dismissal at the labour court within three weeks (Section 4 of the Protection against Dismissal Act). Continuing to work, a dunning procedure or a report to the police do not lead to a judicial review of the dismissal.

A trial takes place when someone has committed a criminal offence, is charged and is convicted or acquitted in court. A change of religion, dissenting opinions and a towed-away car do not lead to a criminal trial.

Lay judges ("Schöffinnen und Schöffen") are honorary judges and decide together with the professional judges on guilt and punishment. Legal advice, certificates and defence are the tasks of lawyers, authorities and defence counsel.

Lawyers advise on legal questions and represent their clients in court. Judges decide, lay judges participate in judgments, and public prosecutors bring charges.

Judges, as independent organs of the judiciary, decide legal disputes and pronounce judgments. They do not represent anyone in court, do not change laws and do not look after young people.

The judiciary is the judicial power; it includes the courts and their judges. The executive is the government and administration, the legislature is parliament, and there is no "operative" branch of state power.

Judges belong to the judicial power, that is, the judiciary (Article 92 of the Basic Law). Executive, planning and legislative power are other branches.

Under Article 20(2) of the Basic Law, state power is exercised by the legislature, the executive and the judiciary; judges work in the judiciary. The executive and the legislature are the other branches, and the press is not a branch of state power.

A proceeding before a court is called a "Prozess" (trial), for example a criminal trial or a civil trial. Programme, procedure and record mean something else.

The task of judges is to administer justice, that is, to decide disputes and pronounce judgments. Governing, drawing up plans and passing laws are tasks of the government, the administration and parliament.

The police monitor compliance with the laws and avert dangers, for example in the case of criminal offences and in road traffic. National defence is the task of the Bundeswehr, wiretapping is permitted only under strict legal conditions, and laws are passed by parliament.

Denying the Holocaust is antisemitic and punishable under Section 130(3) of the Criminal Code. Attending a Jewish festival, criticising the Israeli government or playing football against Jews are not antisemitic acts.

Lay judges ("Gerichtsschöffinnen und Gerichtsschöffen") are honorary judges who decide together with professional judges. Deputies of the head of the city, members of a municipal council and law students are something different.