Weimar Constitution of Germany
After the recent signing of the Treaty of Versailles, the current German government is under great criticism. Extreme left wing political parties are pushing for Revolution. One such group is the Spartacists, a group following the example set by Lenin, in the successful communist movement in Russia. After the abdication of the Kaiser, leader of the Social Democratic Party, Ebert, received the position of Chancellor. Only two days later the armistice was signed, indicating the end of the war.The most urgent task facing the Ebert government was to create a new constitution for Germany. Germany was, after the war, in great economical, emotional and physical disrepair and man political groups were fighting for power. The task of drafting a constitutio
This new constitution meant Germany would have a president, elected every seven years. Support for the government varies. The president appoints and dismisses the chancellor and has the power to dissolve the Reichstag and call elections if the need arises. The first election under this constitution was held early this year, in January. This power also means the president can suspend the basic rights of the people, the ability to rule by decree in times of emergency. The president was Head-of-State and Supreme Commander of the armed forces. n was given to Hugo Preuss, a lawyer and prominent figure of the German Democratic Party. Philip Scheidemann, new leader of the Social Democrats, being chancellor under the President's appointment. Under the new system, Germany will have two houses of parliament. The first meeting of this newly elected Assembly took place, not in the capital, but in a small town 200km away, Weimar. They say that the government has stabbed them in the back by admitting defeat. The constitution also provides a proportional voting system, in which the number of seats held in the Reichstag is proportionate to the number of votes obtained. The constitution also gave voting rights to all men and women over the age of twenty. This was due to the political unrest in the city. All were to be equal in the eyes of the law, freedom of speech, freedom of assembly, freedom of association and freedom of religion are all written into the constitution.
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