ABSTRACT
Even the name of the country-the Federal Republic of Germany (die Bundesrepublik Deutschland)—underlines the importance of the federal structure in Germany. The German term Föderalismus, derived from the Latin foedus, meaning federation or alliance, suggests a form of state organisation in which there is devolution of power from the centre to the constituent parts or regions; the concept of federalism, therefore, implies a decentralised system, in which there is real power-sharing, divided between a central government and several regional ones.
