Acting independently within the Federal Republic.
A Land needs to carry out its constitutional functions in practice. It therefore has a government with political leadership and responsibility for different areas. In the city-states, the government is called a senate.
State governments also participate in federal affairs through the Bundesrat. They therefore matter both for state functions and for cooperation within the federal system.
The other three answers
Having a government does not mean duplicating every federal function.
its own foreign minister
Foreign relations generally belong to the federation. Länder may maintain international contacts and conclude certain treaties; this does not imply each has its own foreign minister.
its own currency
The Länder do not each have a separate currency. A state border is not a currency border.
its own army
The federation establishes the armed forces. State police and the Bundeswehr are different institutions.
Government and Parliament are not the same.
The state government belongs to the executive. The state parliament has different functions, including legislation and scrutiny. Having a government does not replace parliamentary representation.
Ministry names and the allocation of tasks can change. The exam asks about the institution of government, not a current list of ministers.
Article 30 · Basic Law ↗Every Land has its own state government.
State functions need state institutions, but not a separate army or currency.
Three words for this question
- die Landesregierungstate government
- The political leadership of a Land’s executive.
- der BundesratBundesrat
- The institution through which Länder participate in federal affairs.
- die Landespolizeistate police
- Police at state level, not an army.