Question 12 of 300 · Basic Rights

Question 12: A party in the German Bundestag wants to abolish freedom of the press. Is that possible?

Official question from the BAMF catalog used for the Einbürgerungstest (German citizenship test) and the Leben in Deutschland test. Topic: Basic Rights.

The question as it appears on the exam

Eine Partei im Deutschen Bundestag will die Pressefreiheit abschaffen. Ist das möglich?

The Einbürgerungstest is written and sat in German only, with no dictionary allowed. Use the English below to understand the question, but learn to recognise the German wording above — that is what you will see on the day.

Diese Frage auf Deutsch →

Answer options

AJa, wenn mehr als die Hälfte der Abgeordneten im Bundestag dafür sind.Yes, if more than half of the members of the Bundestag are in favor.
BJa, aber dazu müssen zwei Drittel der Abgeordneten im Bundestag dafür sein.Yes, but two thirds of the members of the Bundestag must be in favor.
CNein, denn die Pressefreiheit ist ein Grundrecht. Sie kann nicht abgeschafft werden.No, because freedom of the press is a basic right. It cannot be abolished.Correct
DNein, denn nur der Bundesrat kann die Pressefreiheit abschaffen.No, because only the Bundesrat can abolish freedom of the press.

Correct answer

C — Nein, denn die Pressefreiheit ist ein Grundrecht. Sie kann nicht abgeschafft werden.

No, because freedom of the press is a basic right. It cannot be abolished.

Why this is the answer

This question is about the Grundrechte — the basic rights in Articles 1 to 19 of the German constitution. The benchmark is Article 1: “Human dignity is inviolable.” Basic rights protect the individual from the state; they are never permission to harm someone else. That is why options about owning weapons or taking the law into your own hands are never basic rights, while freedom of expression, religion and assembly always are. Ask yourself whether the option protects a person's freedom and dignity. If it does, it is the answer.

Key exam terms in this question

These exam terms appear in the question or in the answer options. Once you know them, you can still spot the right answer when the wording changes.

die Partei — political party
In Deutschland gibt es mehrere Parteien.
der Bundestag — federal parliament (lower house)
Der Bundestag macht die Bundesgesetze.
der Bundesrat — Federal Council (Länder chamber)
Im Bundesrat sitzen Vertreter der Bundesländer.
der Abgeordnete / die Abgeordnete — member of parliament
Abgeordnete vertreten die Bürger.

All exam vocabulary with translations →

How this question fits into the exam

On exam day you answer 33 questions in 60 minutes: 30 from the general catalog of 300 questions — this question is one of them — and 3 about your federal state. You pass with 17 correct answers. Aiming for exactly 17 leaves no margin for nerves, so take timed mock exams until 33 out of 33 feels routine.

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