Page:British and Foreign State Papers, vol. 155 (1958).djvu/526

 510 The Federation may, by legislation, transfer sovereign powers to international institutions.

In order to preserve peace, the Federation may join a system of mutual collective security ; in doing so it will consent to those limitations of its sovereign powers which will bring about and secure a peaceful and lasting order in Europe and among the nations of the world.

For the settlement of international disputes, the Federation will join a general, comprehensive, obligatory system of international arbitration.

The general rules of international law shall form part of federal law. They shall take precedence over the laws and create rights and duties directly for the inhabitants of the federal territory.

Activities tending to disturb or undertaken with the intention of disturbing the peaceful relations between nations, and especially preparing for aggressive war, shall be unconstitutional. They shall be made subject to punishment.

Weapons designed for warfare may be manufactured, transported or marketed only with the permission of the Federal Government. Details shall be regulated by a federal law.

All German merchantmen shall form a unified merchant marine.

The constitutional order in the Laender must conform to the principles of the republican, democratic and social State based on the rule of law (Rechtsstaat) within the meaning of this Basic Law. In the Laender, Kreise and Gemeinden the people must have a representative assembly resulting from universal, direct, free, equal and secret elections. In Gemeinden, the Parish Meeting may take the place of an elected body.

The Gemeinden must be guaranteed the right to regulate under their own responsibility all the affairs of the local community in accordance with the laws. The Gemeindever-bände also shall have the right of self-government within the limits of their legal sphere of functions and in accordance with the laws.