German Associations, Unions, and Media Landscape
German Associations and Societies
Constitutional Basis: Article 9
Bonn Basic Law Article 9 constitutionalizes these groupings: “All Germans have the right to form associations and societies (…). The right to form associations to safeguard and improve economic and working conditions is guaranteed to every person and every profession. Agreements aiming to restrict or prevent this right shall be void; measures taken to this end are illegal.”
Key Business Associations
Business associations are concentrated
Read MorePolitical Power, State Structures, Regimes, and Elections
Elements of Political Power
Political power is composed of three elements: strength, influence, and authority.
Strength (Coercion)
We speak about strength or coercion when there is a capacity to deny or limit access to specific goods or opportunities to others. This is what happens when political institutions arrest, evict, imprison, or sanction somebody, or threaten to do so.
Influence
Influence refers to those cases in which political power resides in its capacity to convince people about the patterns
Read MoreUnderstanding Swiss Political Parties and Direct Democracy
They are subject to federal legislative referendum and general federal resolutions passed by the Assembly. They are also subject to referendum on some international treaties. In any case, it seems the general scope of the provisions is the decisive factor for submission to a referendum. Between 1850 and 1880, some cantons in their constitutions introduced the so-called right of cancellation, whereby a certain number of citizens are entitled to request the resignation of members of the Cantonal Parliament
Read MoreSpain’s Administrative Divisions: Municipalities & Regions
Spain’s Territorial Organization
Constitutional Framework
According to the Spanish Constitution, the national territory is organized into municipalities, provinces, and Autonomous Communities. Municipalities and provinces are long-standing administrative units.
Municipal Administration
Municipalities represent the most basic administrative and territorial units of the State. A municipality is governed by its local administration (City Council), positioned to address local issues effectively and promptly.
Read MoreUnderstanding and Preventing Water Pollution
Understanding Water Pollution
Water pollution occurs when harmful substances contaminate a body of water, such as a river, lake, ocean, or groundwater. This contamination can degrade water quality, making it toxic to humans and the environment.
Types of Water Pollution
- Industrial Waste: Discharge of chemicals, heavy metals, and other pollutants from factories.
- Agricultural Runoff: Fertilizers, pesticides, and animal waste that wash into waterways.
- Sewage and Wastewater: Untreated or poorly treated sewage
Legislative Process and Government Control Mechanisms
As is customary in other political systems, most legislative activity is due to government initiatives (draft laws). However, the initiatives of parliamentary groups from the assemblies of autonomous communities and citizens (bills) have increased in recent legislatures, although the vast majority have not been successful.
Government Control Function
Government action can be controlled through different mechanisms, ranging from information requests to oral and written questions, summonses, and appearances
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