The critical observation of political discussions in his position as a jurist, a federal commissioner for data protection as well as a minister of a federal state in Germany led the author to reflect on the present state of the German polity. In this volume, Hans Peter Bull combines articles on basic questions of the German polity dealing with the central principles of democracy and the rule of law, including the electoral system, political parties, as well as public security and privacy. He is currently exploring in particular the democratic value of the general public and public opinion.