TestZen · Einbürgerungstest · Practice

1. In Germany, people may openly speak against the government because …

Official German wording

In Deutschland dürfen Menschen offen etwas gegen die Regierung sagen, weil …

  1. 1. hier Religionsfreiheit gilt.
  2. 2. die Menschen Steuern zahlen.
  3. 3. die Menschen das Wahlrecht haben.
  4. 4. hier Meinungsfreiheit gilt.

Answer options

  1. 1. freedom of religion applies here.
  2. 2. people pay taxes.
  3. 3. people have the right to vote.
  4. 4. freedom of expression applies here.

Correct answer

4. freedom of expression applies here.

Explanation

The legal basis is Article 5(1) of the Basic Law, which protects freedom of expression as constitutive of the free democratic basic order; its limits derive from Article 5(2) (general laws, protection of youth, and personal honor). In the Lüth decision (BVerfGE 7, 198), the Federal Constitutional Court underscored the paramount importance of political speech and the radiating effect of fundamental rights. Government criticism lies at the core of political communication; paying taxes or having the vote does not create this right. Fundamental rights bind all public authority (Art. 1(3) GG), reflecting lessons drawn from twentieth-century dictatorship.

Official sources

The German questions come from the original BAMF catalog for the Einbürgerungstest and Leben in Deutschland. Translations and explanations are study aids; verify legal details in the official sources.