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Why does Germany have 16 federal states?
The Holy Roman Empire ended in 1806. After Napoleon’s defeat, the German Confederation—a loose association of 39 states—was formed in 1815. In 1871, a German nation-state was finally established under Prussian leadership and without Austria. Wilhelm I was proclaimed Emperor of Germany. The new empire was also organized along federal lines: its respective states retained a considerable degree of autonomy and participated in the politics of the German Reich through the Bundesrat. After World War II, the aim was to ensure that political power in Germany could never again be so concentrated in the hands of a single person. The Federal Republic of Germany was founded in 1949. It is already clear from its name that the new state was not intended to be a centralist unitary state but a federation of states.
Germany today comprises 16 federal states. Political tasks and responsibilities are shared between the federal and state governments. State governments have a say in national policy through the Bundesrat (Federal Council). In key areas such as education, culture, and policing, the federal states make decisions largely independently. This is why school systems and policing laws can vary from state to state.
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