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#52Was bedeutet „Volkssouveränität“? Alle Staatsgewalt geht vom …

What does 'popular sovereignty' mean? All state power comes from the ...

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The correct answer is:

People.

Volke aus.

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Quick explanation

Popular sovereignty means: all state authority is derived from the people.

Why is this correct?

This is stated in Article 20 of the Basic Law; the people are the source of all state power.

Background

Popular sovereignty means that the people are the “sovereign”, i.e. they hold the highest power in the state. Article 20(2) of the Basic Law says: “All state authority is derived from the people. It shall be exercised by the people through elections and other votes and through specific legislative, executive and judicial bodies.” So the people do not govern directly every day, but elect representatives who act on their behalf.

Why are the other answers wrong?

The Bundestag exercises state authority, but it received this authority from the people – through elections. The Federal Constitutional Court checks that the Basic Law is respected, but it is not the source of state authority. There has been no Prussian king since 1918, and Prussia was dissolved in 1947.

Memory tip

Sovereign = the boss. In a democracy, the boss is the people.

Legal basis: Art. 20 Basic Law (GG) ↗

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