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Which powers did the German constitution of 1871 give to Wilhelm II?
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Wilhelm II
Wilhelm II, the last German emperor.
The German constitution of 1871 granted the emperor two significant powers that shaped the governance of the German Empire:
- Appointment of the Chancellor: The emperor held the authority to appoint and dismiss the chancellor, who served as the head of the civil government. While the chancellor required the support of the Reichstag to pass legislation, they were not required to maintain the Reichstag's support to remain in office, as they were responsible to the emperor.1
- Control over the Military: The German army and navy were not accountable to the civil government. Consequently, the emperor acted as the sole authority capable of aligning the policies of the military with those of the civil servants and diplomats.1
These provisions effectively placed the emperor at the center of executive decision-making, allowing him to exert significant influence over both domestic and foreign policy.1