ABSTRACT
Gera is a German city of approximately 107,000 inhabitants. It is located in the heart of Germany, in the federal state of Thuringia, between the cities of Leipzig and Erfurt, the latter city being the capital of Thuringia. With its location close to the intersection between the two motorways A9 Berlin-Munchen and A4 Dresden-Frankfurt am Main and with Erfurt Airport within one hour’s distance, Gera is relatively accessible. In the last decade, the population of Gera has been decreasing rapidly. In the period 1998-2003, for example, the total population decreased by 8 per cent. This population decline is due to both a negative natural growth and a net out-migration from the city. Germany is a democratic parliamentary federal state. The Federal Government possesses the principal legislative competences. It is built up out of 16 federal states of which Thuringia is one. The federal states have a great deal of autonomy. They have most of the executive power.
