Umm, no. In the Weimar Republic, the president served as head of state. Like the Queen of England, the president’s role was primarily ceremonial. Except, in a “national emergency” when the President became commander in chief of the military and security apparatus of all Germany.

Like the British Prime Minister, the German Chancellor served as Chief Executive — and was elected by Parliament (not the people). Just to be clear here. The people elect the president and they elect the members of parliament to “represent” them. The members of parliament elect the Chancellor (aka Chief Executive). The President performs his ceremonial role of swearing the Chancellor into office.

Unlike America’s 2-party system, parliamentary systems have several different parties that are rarely able to gain a majority of the popular vote necessary to govern. As a result, the parties have to form a coalition that agrees to work together as a government.

Today, Israel faces much the same problem today as Germany did in 1933. Simply put, the Israelis have refused to give Netanyahu’s party a majority — and Netanyahu has failed, repeatedly, to form a governing coalition. Unlike the Weimar President, Israel’s President has called new elections for parliament 3 times in a row, last year alone — and the 4th is underway.

But in 1933 Germany, when the Nazi Party failed to form a governing coalition, the president appointed Hitler Chancellor anyways. As Chief Executive, Hitler called for new elections for members of parliament. While the Nazi Party failed to gain a majority of the vote, it did not matter. Hitler had already seized absolute authority over Germany by appointing himself appointed himself both, President and Chancellor.

The Weimar Republic was dead, the president was in exile and Hitler was The Fuhrer of Nazi Germany.

Hitler was not elected. The Nazis were not elected. Hitler had surrounded himself with ruthless, power-hungry, ambitious men willing to terrorize the people into submission. Unfortunately, strongmen attract the kind of people hungry for the kind of power that only violence can provide them.