GermanyAufgabe 61 · Politics in a democracy
What does “sovereignty of the people” (Volkssouveränität) mean?
In the exam (German)
Was bedeutet "Volkssouveränität"?
- aThe queen/king rules over the people.Die Königin/der König herrscht über das Volk.
- bThe Federal Constitutional Court stands above the constitution.Das Bundesverfassungsgericht steht über der Verfassung.
- cInterest groups exercise sovereignty together with the government.Die Interessenverbände üben die Souveränität zusammen mit der Regierung aus.
- dState authority comes from the people.Die Staatsgewalt geht vom Volke aus.Correct answer
Why?
“Volkssouveränität” means that the highest power in the state lies with the people. Article 20 of the Basic Law (Grundgesetz) says: “All state authority comes from the people.” The people elect the parliament, and all state bodies act on their behalf – there is no king who rules over the people.
Translated with AI. In the exam the question is in German, as shown above.
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Take a free mock examAufgabe 62
When the parliament of a German federal state is elected, this is called …Correct answer:a state election (Landtagswahl)
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Was gehört in Deutschland nicht zur Exekutive? — die Gerichte
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Today the Federal Republic of Germany is divided into …Correct answer:the federation, the states and the local authorities.
Die Bundesrepublik Deutschland ist heute gegliedert in … — Bund, Länder und Kommunen.
Aufgabe 65
It is not one of the tasks of the German Federal Parliament (Bundestag) to …Correct answer:form the federal cabinet.
Es gehört nicht zu den Aufgaben des Deutschen Bundestages, … — das Bundeskabinett zu bilden.
Source
Questions and options: Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), Gesamtfragenkatalog for the “Leben in Deutschland” test and the Einbürgerungstest, as of 07.05.2025 (Annex 1 to the Einbürgerungstestverordnung). The English translation and the explanations are ours, written with AI; in the exam the questions are asked in German. The coats of arms, flags and photos come from Wikimedia Commons, the maps and ballot papers are drawn by us – authors and licences are listed under Image credits. This is not a government service.
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