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Final remarks

The legislative process in the Federal Republic of Germany is relatively complex. It was not, however, deliberately intended to be so. Its complexity is simply the price which has to be paid for involving so many different bodies in the passage of legislation, for ensuring that often difficult subject matter is examined several times over, and for making available a wide range of information to all those interested in a particular subject. The complexity of the process ultimately reflects the demands of democracy and the rule of law. In parts of the world where such principles are disregarded, in totalitarian regimes and military dictatorships, the passage of legislation is a quick and easy affair, - and by no means accidentally, laws tend to be unjust and ineffective.

A final look at the passage of legislation in Germany clearly reveals the reasons behind each stage in the legislative process:

All this makes for a complex procedure, both for those who make the laws and for those who have to comply with them. Of course, everyone wishes from time to time that there were fewer laws, that they were less complicated and that the legislative process were quicker and more flexible. But the society for which these laws are made is not simple; it is complex, multifaceted, technically advanced and pluralist in terms of its goals, values and interests. Parliament, as the law-making body, has to reflect this. The demand for legislation - to eliminate unequal treatment, to meet justified demands, to avert possible dangers and to promote matters of importance - comes from society itself and not from the Bundestag. Parliament cannot refuse to adopt laws for which there is a demand and it cannot speed up the legislative process if a bill happens to be particularly controversial or concerns a complex subject.

The passage of legislation in Germany is ultimately a condition and integral element of the rule of law, democracy and freedom. Anyone who wishes to put the legislative process into practice, to participate in it or understand how it functions must be prepared for the substantial effort this involves.

Quelle: http://www.bundestag.de/htdocs_e/legislat/19legisin2
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