Recently we learned a little something about German politics and how the government works. On Friday the whole group had the opportunity to go to the Reichstag building, where the Bundestag (Germany's democratic government) holds important meetings and such - it's very similar to the Capitol Building in DC. Basically, the Bundestag is meant to represent the people of Germany - they are the ones who elect the Chancellor, pass the laws, and oversee the work of the government.
The way democracy works in Germany is a little different than it is in the US - instead of voting for each individual position, like we do in the US, they vote for a party (similar to the political parties in the US). So when you vote for a party in Germany, you are not only voting for the parliament, but you are also voting for the Chancellor - who is chosen by each party. Basically instead of voting for each individual position, they vote once for a specific party and then members of that party fill the open positions.
The party currently elected to the Bundestag is the Christian Democratic Union, which is led by the woman Chancellor, Angela Merkel - which I think is pretty cool. But anyways here are some pics of the Bundestag:
This is where important meetings are held and decisions are made.
An art instillation representing all the members of the Bundestag throughout the years.
This tunnel, which connected the Reichstag and the President's house, was just recently discovered.
During the Battle of Berlin in WWII, the Soviets targeted the Reichstag building and left graffiti, which can still be seen to this day - the building was also bombed during this time, hence the damaged wall.
The Cupola at the top of the Reichstag from which one can see the entire city of Berlin.
View of the Spree River from the Cupola
Casey and I at the top of the Cupola
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