The Basic Rights : Germany

The basic rights. Pride of place in the constitution is given to a charter of basic rights, the first of which obliges the state to respect and protect the dignity of man. This guarantee is supplemented by the right to self-fulfillment. It affords comprehensive protection against unlawful interference by the state. Both Germans and non-Germans can invoke these constitutional rights. The classical freedoms embodied in the Basic Law include freedom of religion, freedom of expression (including freedom of the press) and the guarantee of property. There are also freedom of art and scholar-ship, freedom of association, the right to form coalitions, the right to privacy of correspondence, posts and telecommunications, freedom of movement, free choice of occupation or profession, protection from forced labor, privacy of the home, and the right of conscientious objection.

The civil rights, which in contrast to the aforementioned rights apply only to German nationals, relate for the most part to the latter’s involvement in the political process and free choice of occupation or profession. In essence they include freedom of assembly, the right to form associations, partnerships and corporations, freedom of movement throughout (including the right to enter) the federal territory, freedom of choice and practice of an occupation or profession, the ban on extradition, and the right to vote.