German Democratic Republic Government - 1986

GEOGRAPHICAL NAMES 

Official name: German Democratic Republic

Type: Communist state

Capital. East Berlin (not officially recognized by US, UK, and France, which together with the USSR have special rights and responsibilities in Berlin)

Political subdivisions: (excluding East Berlin) 14 districts (Bezirke), 218 counties (Kreise), 7,600 communities (Gemeinden)

Legal system: civil law system modified by Communist legal theory; new constitution adopted 1974; court system parallels administrative divisions; no judicial review of legislative acts; legal education at Universities of Berlin, Leipzig, Halle, and Jena; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction; more stringent penal code adopted in 1968 and amended in 1974 and 1979

National holiday: Foundation of German Democratic Republic, 7 October

Branches: unicameral legislature (People’s Chamber—Volkskammer, elected directly); executive (Council of State, Council of Ministers); judiciary (Supreme Court); entire structure dominated by Socialist Unity (Communist) Party

Government leaders: Erich HONECKER, Chairman, Council of State (Head of State; since October 1976); Willi STOPH, Chairman, Council of Ministers (Premier; since October 1976)

Suffrage, all citizens age 18 and over

Elections: national every five years; prepared by an electoral commission of the National Front; ballot supposed to be secret and voters permitted to strike names off ballot;

German Democratic

more candidates than offices available; parliamentary election held 14 June 1981, and local elections held 6 May 1984, next parlia mentary election scheduled for 8 June 1986

Political parties and leaders. Socialist Unity (Communist) Party of Germany (SED), headed by General Secretary Erich Honecker, dominates the regime; four token parties (Christian Democratic Union, National Democratic Party, Liberal Democratic Party, and Democratic Peasants’ Party) and an amalgam of special interest organizations participate with the SED in National Front

Voting strength: 1981 parliamentary elections and 1984 local elections; over 99% voted the regime slate

Communists: 2.195 million party members (1986)

Other special interest groups: Free German Youth, Free German Trade Union Federation, Democratic Women’s League, Cultural League of the German Democratic Republic (all Communist dominated)

Member of: CEMA, IAEA, ICES, 1LO, IMO, IPU, ITU, UN, UNESCO, UPU, Warsaw Pact, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

NOTE: The information regarding German Democratic Republic on this page is re-published from the 1986 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of German Democratic Republic 1986 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about German Democratic Republic 1986 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.