Catalogue question 53 · Question catalogue in force since 2024-07-01
What does "Rechtsstaat" (rule-of-law state) mean in Germany?
- The state is always right.
- There are only right-wing parties.
- Citizens decide on laws.
- The state must obey the law. Correct
Why — for every option
- A — This is a play on the similar-sounding words, but factually wrong: "Rechtsstaat" does not mean the state is automatically right.
- B — "Rechtsstaat" has nothing to do with parties' political left-right orientation; it is a constitutional principle.
- C — Citizens elect the legislature but do not decide directly on individual laws — that is representative democracy, not the definition of Rechtsstaat.
- D — Correct: in a Rechtsstaat, the state itself is also bound by the law (Art. 20(3) Basic Law); arbitrariness is excluded.
Source: www.gesetze-im-internet.de
Last checked: · Question catalogue in force since 2024-07-01 · Every figure on this page is checked against its primary source.