This book is a guide to the political system of the Federal Republic of Germany in the 21st century. It addresses both the framework established by the constitution of politics and the constitutional reality. Manfred G. Schmidt provides a detailed explanation of the political institutions, their functioning, and the process of political will formation. Additionally, he examines state activities in the key areas of domestic and foreign policy and their interactions with political institutions and processes. The politics in Germany is discussed from the perspective of international and historical comparison, evaluating its strengths and weaknesses. A separate chapter is dedicated to the possibilities and limitations of the Europeanization of the government system.