Weimar Constitution- Features

• This showed Constitution was to be a Federation of the State
• Two levels of Government- 17 landers and the Federation
• Described as "dual-anatomy": power shared between federal govt. and landers

• Bicameral- divided into two govt. houses

House One: The Reichstag

• Elections held every 4 years
• Using the voting system of Proportional Representation (PR)
• Elected through universal suffrage- all citizens over 20 got to vote
• PR meant that every 60,000 voted a party would gain one seat- controversial as it allowed splinter parties to form

House Two: The Reichsrat

• Contained 67 members from 17 states
• Give advice on new laws
• Veto new laws
• Veto could be overruled by Reichstag making it less important

President

• Elected every 7 years by PR
• He could appoint and dismiss Chancellors
• Could dissolve Reichstag
• Commander-in-Chief of Germany
• Rule by emergency decree through Article 48
• Article 48 gave President too much power as it allowed for a dictatorship
• President was described as being an "ersatzkaiser"

Chancellor

• Could propose new laws to Reichstag
• Maintain confidence of Reichstag
• End result was a confused relationship between President and Chancellor

• Rights were contained in the Bill of Rights

Bill of Rights outlined:

• Citizens had personal liberty and free speech
• Ban on censorship
• Equality before the Law
• Freedom of conscience and religion
• Welfare provision
• Protection of Labour

• Ensured equality of all citizens before the law
• Also could adjudicate on cases
• Could interpret the Constitution