Strengths and weaknesses of the Weimar Constitution

Head of State- President 

• Head of Weimar Republic
• Every 7 years elected by the people
• Had a few important political powers e.g. President chose the chancellor 
• Could suspend the constitution 
• could pass laws by decree

1.Chancellor

• Head of gov. for the Weimar republic
• Choses all gov. ministers 

2.Cabinet 

• main decision-making body of the gov. 

Parliament

• made up of 2 houses- Reichstag & Reichsrat
• Usually, all laws had to pass through both house
• Proportional Representation 

Reichstag

• most powerful house
• controlled taxation 
• elected by the people at least once every 4 years

Reichsrat 

• elected evry 4 years
• represented regions of Germany
• Each region sent a number of reps depending on their size

• Consists of all men & women of 21 and over

• Proportional representation- small parties had a fair share of seats
• Women allowed to vote
• Voting age lowered- 25-21
• No single group or person could have too much power
• Election for president every 7 years
• Central gov. more powerful now, local gov. still had power in the regions
• Reichsrat could regulate power of Reichstag by delaying new laws

• Proportional rep. led to coalition govs. that were unstable or difficult to have strong policies and often fell apart 
• Lack of strong gov. in crises led the president to pass laws without the prior consent of the Reichstag
• Article 48 of the constitution allowed the President to do so
• Not the choice of the people so it was not popular 

• The democratic gov. established in the drawing of a new constitution 
• Created on the 31 July 1919
• Done in the town of Weimar not Berlin because there was still unrest there