German Government

Emperor (Kaiser)
Was supreme leader had the ability to:

Appoint and dismiss chancellors
Dissolve Reichstag (with consent if the Bundesrat)
Direct German foreign policy
Command all armed forces as commander-in-chief within the Empire both in peace and war

Chancellor
Was the chief minister of the Reich and was:

Responsible to the Kaiser alone
Responsible for shaping the framework of Reich policies
Not accountable to the Reichstag
Responsible for appointing all the state secretaries who had no power in their own
Had to sign all decrees from the Kaiser

Federal Council (Bundesrat)
Was a council from all 25 states within Germany they had power over

currency, banking, matters relating to trade, responsibility for education, justice, health and cultural matters
had 58 representatives nominated from all the states (with 17 seats for Prussia)
Could alter the constitution
had to ratify all legislation
had the ability to reject at military or constitutional issue with just 14 votes

Imperial Parliament (Reichstag)

elected by universal male suffrage
officials served for 5 years unless the Kaiser dissolved it
could discuss and agree those proposals put forward by the Bundesrat and the Imperial Government
not permitted to introduce its own legislation
did not allow chancellor and the state secretaries to be members

	Created by Callum Paton about 10 years ago

International Baccalaureate History Note on Pre-WW1 Germany- domestic, created by Callum Paton on 22/04/2014.