Federal states (Lander) had significant responsibilities and power.
A formal Head of State with a President with ceremonial and largely symbolic role.
2 chambers or houses of parliamnet. The Bundestag (members were elected) and the Bundestrat (made up of representatives sent from each region of the FRG.
Elections were by a complex system of proportional representation.
Any political party with less than 5% of the vote could not take seats in parliament - This stopped the rising of extremist parties.
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GDR
A federal state, although the five Lander wre later replaced by smaller Bezirke run from East Berlin.
A formal Head of State with a president with a ceremonial and largely symbolic role - The role of president was taken over by the Council of State when Pieck died in 1960.
Two chambers or houses of parliament - The Volkskammer was the elected national assembly, with a majority of seats for the SED - The Landerkammer's membership was made up of representatives sent from each region of the GDR.
The main political force was the General Secretary of the SED who increasingly controlled the other political parties and the mass state organisations.
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