The Trend of the Germany Federalism: Centralization or Decentralization?

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to discuss the trend of the German federalism after unification. Will the German federalism become more concentrated or more deconcentrated? Although the unification in 1990 was lopsided with the continuation of the western Germany constitution and system, a variety of Germanic customs due to separation exists in two Germanies. The Basic Law, which was written as a temporary constitution, provides the structural guidelines for the united Germany, however the challenges, either from domestic or from European community, to this established law have been raised. By discussing the Articles of the Basic Law, German foreign and economic policy, this article concludes that the federal-land relationship in German federalism is inclined to centralization even though the federal government insists on the principle of power sharing between federal and Land.