More presentations

Today was my first day back in class since Wednesday, due to the play, so I missed presentations on Canada and Japan. But, today more people presented their projects. We started off with Antony and Adrien's project on Syria.

Syria
-republic under an authoritarian regime
- Bashar al-Assad is their president whom was born September 11, 1965 in Damascus.
- Syria has been a republic under authoritarian regime since 1941 (73 years).
- Ways to get rid of president: Assassination, revolutionary war, and the country being taken over by another.
-Bashar al-Assad had the most votes in the last election at 88.7% of the votes. However, most votes came from Assad threatening the people to vote for him.
- Voting is rigged by "counting wrong" on purpose, bombing or threatening, etc.
- Assad can be president until 2021. They have 7 year terms.

Germany
- Federal Republic
-  They've been a federal republic since 1990
- East and West Germnay were separated by the Berlin Wall after World War II but reunited as a whole country in 1990.
- 2 leaders, President and Chancellor
- President Joachim Gauck (since March 23, 2012, independent political party. Pastor over a Protestant church.)
- Chancellor Angela Merkel (November 22, 2000. Former research scientist. Leader of Christian Democratic Union since 2000. Named most powerful woman in the world by Forbes.)
- Replacing the leaders: Impeachment of the president, or not being elected. New chancellor can be nominated. The Bundestag can kick the chancellor out or president out.
- Offices are elected by the Bundestag. Held every 4 years. Disabled people who are in overall foster care cannot vote along with people under 18.
- Christian Democratic Union, Social Democratic Union, Christian Social Union, LINKE, GRUNE.

United Kingdom
- Constitutional Monarchy (1066): King or Queen acts as head of state along with the Prime Minister. King or Queen has the ability to make and pass legislation.
-Commonwealth Realm: sovereign state that's a member of the commonwealth of nations.
- Commonwealth of nations- 54 members with one suspended and dates back to the mid 20th century.
- Prime minister of the UK has no term limits. He is appointed by the Monarch.
-David Cameron:Prime Minister since 2010,  he is the leader of the conservative party and is the youngest prime minister since 1812.
-Prim minister appoints members of the government and is the principal gov. figure in the House of Commons.
-Every Tuesday the cabinet discusses important issues for the gov.
- people of the UK support Cameron as a Prime Minster.

United States
- the leader of the U.S.A is President Barack Obama.
- Constitution based federal republic, with strong democratic tradition.
-Obama can be president for 2 more years and cannot run for re-election. He won the 2008 and 2012 election.
-Obama is the first  half African American president
- We can re-elect a president, or they can be impeached or overthrown, or the president can be assassinated, or a revolution can start.
-Impeachable offenses: treason, bribery, or other high crimes.

Russia
- Federation: formations of a political unity with a central government by a number of separate states, each of which retains control of its own internal affairs.
Official name of Russia is Russian Federation
- Governed under the constitution of 1993
- Russia became Russian Federation in 1991
-Vladimir Putin has been president since 2012. Previously served as president from 2000-2008 and was Prime Minister from 1999-2000. He is now allowed to serve another terms.
-Russia has 6 year terms.
Dmitry Medvedev is the Prime Minster of Russia
-Legislative branch adopts federal law, declares war, approves treaties, has the power of the purse and the power of impeachment of the President.
Executive Branch- President is the supreme commander-in-chief of the armed forces
Judiciary Branch
United Russia- main political party. founded in 2001.
Russian Military: very strong and aggressive due to strong leader Putin and his weapons.
Russia is the largest country in the world