Facts about the German Bundestag PDF

Facts about the German Bundestag Role, bodies and buildings New 2024 version 20th elec toral term This publication is available in a...

Facts about the German Bundestag Role, bodies and buildings New 2024 version 20th elec toral term This publication is available in accessible PDF and EPUB formats www.btg-bestellservice.de/informationsmaterial/55/56/anr80140000 Website for downloading and ordering the German Bundestag’s information materials www.btg-bestellservice.de/informationsmaterial/55/56 Website of the German Bundestag www.bundestag.de/en  2 Role of the Bundestag 4 The German Bundestag – 20th electoral term 6 The Bundestag makes the laws 10 The Bundestag elects the Chancellor 12 The Bundestag scrutinises the Government 14 Members of Parliament – representatives of the people 22 The main organs and other bodies of the Bundestag 34 Parliamentary elections 40 Bundestag buildings 42 The Reichstag Building 48 The Paul Löbe Building 50 The Marie-Elisabeth Lüders Building 52 The Jakob Kaiser Building 54 The Luisenblock West Building 56 More about the Bundestag Contents  The German Bundestag is the only organ of the state that is directly elected by the people, making it the supreme constitu- tional organ of the Federal Republic of Germany. As the Basic Law states, in a core tenet of our democracy, “All state authority is derived from the people”. And in a representative democracy, the people – the sovereign body – lend their power to Parliament for a limited time. Every four years, the voters go to the polls in parlia- mentary elections to determine who will represent their interests in the Bundes- tag. State authority is exercised in Germany by the classical triad of legislature, judi- ciary and executive, each of which checks and balances the others. In the interplay of these three branches, the legislative role devolves on the Bundes- tag. Only it can enact federal laws that are binding on all people in Germany. This places great responsibility in the hands of Parliament, which guides the nation’s political and social develop- ment. Role of the Bundestag 2  exercises an important power of scrutiny over the Federal Government. No Chan- cellor or government minister can escape this scrutiny. In votes on government pro- jects, the Federal Chancellor depends on the confidence of Parliament. If a govern- ment cannot convince the Members of The Bundestag, however, does not only the Bundestag, it cannot pursue its politi- make laws. It also elects the Federal cal aims. Chancellor, who is head of the execu- In order to perform this scrutinising tive, that is to say of the Federal Govern- function, Members of Parliament must ment. This shows how closely the con- be able to inform themselves about the stitutional organs are linked in the sys- work of the Federal Government and its tem of checks and balances, in spite of plans. To this end they have a number of the separation of powers. The votes of rights and instruments at their disposal, the Members of Parliament also weigh such as major and minor parliamentary heavily in the election of the Federal questions and debates on matters of topi- President, as the Federal Convention, cal interest. The Bundestag also forms which elects the Head of State, compris- permanent committees, whose main task es all the Members of the Bundestag and is to participate in the legislative pro- an equal number of representatives of cess, and special bodies like committees the federal states (Länder). of inquiry, which are appointed almost In addition, the Bundestag is also in- exclusively for the purpose of scrutinis- volved in appointments to other high ing the Government. offices. For example, it elects half of The Bundestag has regulated its own the judges of the Federal Constitutional affairs independently in its Rules of Pro- Court, the President and Vice-President cedure, which set out the requirements of the Federal Audit Office and the Feder- for the performance of its tasks, the con- al Commissioner for Data Protection and duct of its meetings and the manner of Freedom of Information. The Bundestag its deliberations. Election and swearing-in of the Federal Chancellor and swear- ing-in of the federal ministers in the German Bundestag in Berlin on 8 December 2021. 3  The elections to the 20th German Bundes- tag on 26 September 2021 led to new ma- jorities: SPD, Alliance 90/The Greens and FDP have formed a governing coalition (referred to as the ‘traffic light’ coalition) led by Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD). With 207 Members, the SPD replaced the CDU/CSU (195 seats) as the strongest parliamentary group. Alli- ance 90/The Greens has 118 Members, the FDP 91 and the AfD 77 Members. In addition, in February 2024 two groupings were formed from the former Left Party parliamentary group: The Left Party grouping with 28 seats and the BSW grouping with 10 seats. At the time of publication (June 2024) Parliament had 733 Members. Seven Members do not be- long to any group and are non-attached. Six of them were originally Members of the AfD parliamentary group, while one belongs to the South Schleswig Voters’ Association (SSW). As a party represent- ing a national minority, the five-percent threshold does not apply to the SSW. With 733 Members, the 20th Bundestag is the largest in German history. 268 Mem- bers (36.4 percent) are new to Parliament, while 468 already have experience in the Bundestag. The range of ages spans sev- eral generations, with the average age be- ing 47.3 years – around two years young- The German Bundestag – 20th electoral term 4 er than in the 19th electoral term. Emily tag. 185 Members had also previously Vontz (SPD) a Member who entered Par- been elected to the 19th Bundestag. liament as a replacement for a departing Member in January 2023, was born in 2000 and is thus 59 years younger than Members’ faiths the current oldest Member, Alexander Gauland (AfD). The longest serving A little over half of all Members of the Member and thus President by Seniority Bundestag declared that they belonged at the constituent sitting of the 20th to one of the two Christian churches in Bundestag was Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU/ Germany. Seven Members are Muslims. CSU), who sat in the Bundestag from Seventy-five Members state that they 1972 until his death in December 2023, have no religious affiliation, while two during his 14th electoral term. The pro- others are atheists. portion of women in the Bundestag is A room is available in the Reichstag 34.9 percent, an increase from the 19th Building for all Members’ religious reflec- electoral term (30.9 percent). tion – the Reflection and Prayer Room, a peaceful and unassumingly spiritual hav- en designed by Düsseldorf-based artist Members’ trades and professions Günther Uecker. On Thursday and Friday mornings when Parliament is sitting, the Many professions are represented in Par- bells of Cologne Cathedral ring out in the liament, with skilled trades and medicine Bundestag at exactly 8.30. The sound of represented alongside artistic professions, the bells is reproduced on a recording industry and economics. The largest and invites Members to attend morning groups are the Members who have a back- prayers. ground in humanities and natural scienc- The room has been deliberately de- es (303) and those qualified in law (168), signed as a multi-faith place of worship followed by teachers (43), engineers (26) but can be given a Christian, Jewish or and doctors and pharmacists (21). 118 Muslim tone by means of religious sym- Members have a doctorate, while eleven bols. The stone edge of a raised section were following a course of study or train- of floor shows where east is, enabling ing prior to their election to the Bundes- Members to face Jerusalem and Mecca. 733 SPD seats 207 seats CDU/CSU 195 seats ALLIANCE 90 / THE GREENS 118 seats FDP 91 seats AfD 77 seats The Left Party grouping 28 seats BSW grouping 10 seats Non-attached Members 7 seats 5  Decisions are taken in the Bundestag that affect everyone, because only the Bundestag can enact the federal laws that are binding on all people in Germa- ny. Legislation is an extremely complex task and one to which a great deal of parliamentary work is devoted. Before the legislative process begins, there must first be an initiative, in other words an idea for a legislative bill. A legislative initiative may come from the Federal Government, from within the Bundestag or from the Bundesrat. Many individual steps have to be taken before a law enters into force. A bill cannot pass through the Bundestag without be- ing carefully examined by Members in parliamentary committees and having its pros and cons documented in amend- ment motions, committee reports and parliamentary resolutions. For this rea- son, each bill is discussed three times, as a rule, by Parliament at plenary sit- tings. These deliberations are known as readings. The Bundestag makes the laws 6  This means that the Members of Parlia- ment vote on every bill, which they do either by standing up or by a show of hands. It can happen that the result is not clear or that the Presiding Commit- tee cannot agree on the outcome. In such cases the long-standing parliamentary At first reading, the discussion is gener- tradition of the Hammelsprung system ally about basic principles. In many cas- of division doors is used, in which all es, the House will decide to shorten this Members leave the chamber and re-enter stage by referring the bill “without de- it by one of three doors, marked Ja, Nein bate” to the competent committees. In and Enthaltung (abstention). Two Mem- committee, the bill is probed by special- bers who have been designated as secre- ised politicians from all of the parlia- taries are stationed at each door to count mentary groups, who examine its sub- the Members through, and in this way a stance and its implications. Hearings of clear result is obtained. The Hammel- experts can also be arranged for this pur- sprung method is also used if doubts are pose. The second reading of the bill is expressed before a vote as to the pres- then held in the plenary chamber; at this ence of a quorum and the Presiding stage it is generally accompanied by pro- Committee does not ascertain that there posed amendments. Only after this dis- is a quorum. In the 19th electoral term cussion can the third reading and the (2017–2021), 547 laws were passed and final vote take place. the plenary met for 239 regular sittings. View from the interior courtyard of the Paul Löbe Building into a committee meeting room. 7  Legislative initiative Legislative initiative Legislative initiative on the part of the on the part of the on the part of the Federal Government Bundestag Bundesrat Bill Bill Bill Federal Government Bundesrat Opinion (generally Opinion (optional) required) Federal Government Counter-statement Bundestag First, second and third readings Bills to which the Bundes- Bills requiring rat may file an objection Bundesrat consent Bundesrat 1) Approval of the bill Motion for Consent discussion Federal Government Mediation Committee Motion for discussion Bundestag Amendment No amendment 2) proposal 3) No amendment 2) 4) 4) Bundesrat Bundestag Bundesrat Approval Objection No consent Consent Bundestag Objection LAW Overruled Not overruled Federal Government LAW LAW Signature Signature Federal President Promulgation Promulgation 8 Through the Bundesrat, the 16 federal states (Länder) play a part in national legislation. Bills affecting the interests of the Länder require the explicit consent of the Bundesrat. In the case of other bills, the Bundesrat may lodge an objec- tion to their adoption. If the Bundestag and Bundesrat cannot agree on a bill, they can refer the matter to the Media- the Bundestag and then in the Bundesrat tion Committee. This committee, com- before the new act can enter into force. prising 16 representatives each from the Sometimes differences of opinion be- Bundestag and Bundesrat, tries to find a tween the Bundestag and Bundesrat compromise. The role of the Mediation prove irreconcilable. In the case of a bill Committee can be particularly important requiring the consent of the Bundesrat, when the majority groups in one House this signals the final defeat of the propos- are in the minority in the other. If the al. In cases where the Bundesrat only has Mediation Committee arrives at a com- the right of objection, however, the promise, this must be put to the vote in Bundestag can overrule its objection. The legislative process 1) immediate rejection: referral by the Bundestag or Bundesrat is possible 2) confirmation of the legislative decision or no motion for amend- ment 3) if amendment motion is re- jected, original legislative decision prevails 4) if withdrawal is proposed and the Bundestag gives its con- sent, the bill is defeated, otherwise it is referred to the Bundesrat 9  As the head of the government, the Fed- eral Chancellor has a powerful position. He or she determines the guidelines of government policy and proposes candi- dates for ministerial office to the Federal President. The Chancellor is elected by the Members of the Bundestag at the start of the electoral term. The Bundestag elects the Chancellor 10 The Bundestag may also depose the Fed- The Federal Chancellor may also table eral Chancellor by means of a construc- a confidence motion in order to estab- tive vote of no confidence, in which the lish whether the majority of the House majority of Members of Parliament ex- still supports his or her policies. If the press their lack of confidence in him or Bundestag denies the Chancellor a vote her, while at the same time electing a of confidence, the Basic Law prescribes successor (hence, “constructive”). In that the Federal President, acting on a parliamentary practice in Germany this proposal from the Federal Chancellor, mechanism is very seldom used and may dissolve the Bundestag within presupposes the loss of a parliamentary 21 days. A confidence motion may, majority for the Chancellor, for example therefore, pave the way for early elec- if a coalition is dissolved or splits. This tions. The Bundestag need not be dis- is why there have only ever been two solved, however, if a majority of its constructive no-confidence motions in Members elects a new Chancellor. There the history of the Bundestag. The first have been five confidence motions, the was in 1972, when a CDU/CSU motion most recent having been tabled by to replace Willy Brandt (SPD) was de- then-Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in feated, and the other was in 1982, when 2005. The Bundestag did not give him a Helmut Schmidt (SPD) had to give way vote of confidence, as a result of which to opposition leader Helmut Kohl of the the Federal President dissolved the CDU/CSU. Bundestag and called fresh elections. Swearing-in of Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) by President of the Bundestag Bärbel Bas (SPD). 11  One of the traditional functions of a par- liament in a democratic state is the scru- tiny of government. This role is natural- ly performed first and foremost by the opposition groups, i.e. the groups which do not support the government, al- though the parliamentary groups in the governing coalition engage in scrutiny too through their participation in parlia- mentary processes. Among the key instruments of parlia- mentary scrutiny are the budgetary powers of the Bundestag. In the annual Budget Act, the Bundestag determines the level of public revenue and expen- diture, for which the Federal Minister of Finance is accountable to Parliament. The budget debates are often a highlight of the parliamentary year: government policy is under scrutiny, and the Gov- ernment must justify its policies to Par- liament. The German Bundestag has a wide range of other instruments with which it can scrutinise the work of the Government. For example, individual Members can submit written questions to the Government, and government representatives are required to give di- rect answers to Members’ questions at a question-and-answer session with min- isters after cabinet meetings and at par- liamentary Question Time. The Bundestag scrutinises the Government 12 In addition, the parliamentary groups in the Bundestag can demand written in- formation on particular issues by means Committees of inquiry have proved to of ‘major’ and ‘minor’ parliamentary be an incisive instrument for the parlia- questions. Answers to major questions mentary scrutiny of government activity. quite often lead to parliamentary de- These committees can be appointed at bates in which the Government is re- the request of at least a quarter of the quired to present its case and answer Members of the Bundestag. The Mem- questions. There is also the debate on a bers serving on committees of inquiry matter of topical interest, an instrument can require the submission of govern- used chiefly by the opposition groups ment files, summon government repre- to subject government policy to critical sentatives as witnesses and question analysis. The debate, focusing on an is- them, which is sometimes even done sue of general interest, is held at the re- in front of live television cameras. The quest of a parliamentary group or at Bundestag also scrutinises the Govern- least five per cent of the Members of the ment through the Parliamentary Com- Bundestag or on the basis of an agree- missioner for the Armed Forces. The ment reached at a meeting of the Coun- Commissioner is appointed by the cil of Elders. Bundestag for the purpose of parliamen- During the 19th electoral term from 2017 tary scrutiny of the armed forces. He or to 2021, the Members of the Bundes- she keeps Parliament up to date on the tag put 25,671 written and 5,150 oral situation in the Bundeswehr and inter- questions to the Federal Government. venes in cases where the fundamental 547 laws were passed and the plenary rights of military personnel are in- met for 239 regular sittings. The size of fringed. The Bundeswehr is often the parliamentary workload is reflected described as a “parliamentary army”, in the fact that more than 31.000 Bundes- because the Federal Government tag printed papers, as parliamentary doc- cannot send its troops on armed mis- uments are referred to, were published sions abroad without the consent of in total in the 19th electoral term. the Bundestag. The government benches with Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) and the Federal Government Ministers. 13  Is membership of the Bundestag an oc- cupation like any other? Certainly not, for Members of Parliament are represen- tatives of the whole people – for a limit- ed time – and must seek a vote of ap- proval from the electorate at each gener- al election. Members of the Bundestag have a mandate, or commission, to rep- resent the interests of the citizens to the best of knowledge and belief. In order to perform this function, Members have rights and duties that are enshrined in the Basic Law and other legislation (such as the Members of the Bundestag Act in particular) and regulations. In principle, any person who is eligible to vote in the Federal Republic of Ger- many may stand as a candidate for elec- tion to the Bundestag. Candidates are normally put forward by a party whose political aims they share. Members of Parliament – representatives of the people 14 Freedom of conscience and cooperation Parliamentary work is wide-ranging, which makes consultation and coordina- tion imperative. This is the task of the parliamentary groups. As political alli- ances of Members of Parliament, they prepare Bundestag decisions and are in- dispensable to the work of Parliament as subject only to their conscience. This a whole – without parliamentary groups, freedom has frequently been in evi- the Bundestag would fragment into hun- dence, chiefly in connection with par- dreds of individual interests. ticularly momentous decisions, such as The groups have their own parliamenta- those on military missions, on the ry rights, such as the right to introduce choice of capital city and seat of govern- bills and motions, to demand a debate on ment in 1991 and on matters relating to a matter of topical interest or a recorded the regulation of abortion and mandato- vote in plenary and to address major and ry vaccines. minor parliamentary questions to the Even Members who do not belong to a Federal Government. parliamentary group, besides being en- None of the Members of the German titled to speak and vote in plenary, Bundestag can be forced to subscribe to have numerous rights that no majority the opinion of his or her parliamentary can deny them. For example, in plenary group. This principle is laid down in debates they can move points of order Article 38 of the Basic Law, which guar- and table amendments, deliver oral or antees the free exercise of a mandate. It written explanations of vote, put ques- states that Members of the Bundestag tions to the Federal Government and be are representatives of the whole people, a non-voting member of a parliamenta- not bound by orders or instructions and ry committee. In a recorded vote, Members place their voting cards in a ballot box, which due to the pandemic is lo- cated here on the plenary level of the Reichstag Building. 15 Under Article 46 of the Basic Law, all Between Parliament Members of Parliament have two privi- and constituency leges – immunity and indemnity. Immu- nity means that criminal investigations Members of Parliament normally have or a formal charge may only be made two places of work: the Bundestag and against individual Members of the their constituency. Regardless of wheth- Bundestag with the consent of the er they were elected to the Bundestag as House, except in cases where the Mem- constituency Members or from a region- ber is arrested while committing a crimi- al list, they look after their constituents. nal offence or on the following day. Im- They engage with the public, are fre- munity is limited to the duration of a quently involved in local politics and person’s membership of the Bundestag report on their parliamentary activities. and can only be lifted by a decision of In regular surgery sessions, they learn of the Bundestag. Indemnity means that the problems and interests of local peo- Members of the Bundestag may at no ple and feed this knowledge into their time be subjected to court proceedings deliberations in Berlin. or disciplinary action or otherwise Constituency issues are not sold short in called to account outside the Bundestag Berlin either. Although Members have a for a vote cast or for any speech or de- particularly tight schedule in the weeks bate in the Bundestag or in any of its when Parliament is sitting in Berlin, ev- committees. This indemnity does not ery parliamentary group has regional apply to defamatory insults. These rules subgroups in which Members discuss are chiefly designed to guarantee the the political concerns of their federal proper working of Parliament. state and local area. Compulsory attendance: Members are required to sign an attendance register on days when Parliament is sitting. 16 No time for a media circus There is a widespread myth that Mem- bers of Parliament spend their time moving from one talk show to another. Television viewers are often irritated too when they see a sitting of the Bundestag with the chamber only half full. The In particular, a Member of the Bundestag public are largely unaware of the wide needs to be in the chamber for agenda range of tasks a parliamentarian also has items that are relevant to a committee on to perform outside of plenary sittings. which the Member serves or to the con- Day after day legislative bills, amend- stituency he or she represents, for land- ment motions, parliamentary questions mark debates or government policy and government replies, as well as opin- statements and certainly for votes. Prior ions and reports on topical issues, ap- to plenary debates, Members must en- pear on each Member’s desk. gage with a large number of in many The bulk of Parliament’s legislative cases lengthy parliamentary printed pa- work is actually done in committee. pers. They must be read and processed, Applying the principle of division of then discussed at meetings of working labour, Members organise themselves parties, parliamentary groups and com- into committees, subcommittees and mittees. Many of them are subsequently working groups. In addition, there are the subject of a decision in the plenary numerous appointments to be kept with chamber. Instead of holding speeches, experts, members of the public and jour- Members often meet behind the scenes nalists. to seek solutions and compromises. In the public eye: the media keep a close watch on proceedings in the Bundestag. 17  Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Discussion Press Office work 8.00 appointment Arrival from Meetings Committee Plenary sitting Plenary sitting 9.00 constituency of working meeting (all day), parties and normally two 10.00 working groups core-time de- bates followed by other debates 11.00 and possibly a debate on a 12.00 matter of topical interest Meetings of Plenary sitting At the same 13.00 time: group of project groups with post-Cabi- and thematic net questions to visitors from the 14.00 Office work groups the Government, constituency, Question Time press interview, Preparation Parliamentary and, if required, office work Press appoint- 15.00 for the sitting, debate on a mat- ment, meetings group meeting meetings of ter of topical with repre- 16.00 working parties interest sentatives of associations and 17.00 Meeting of the Continuation with scientific or parliamentary of committee academic experts group executive meeting Exceptionally, Departure for 18.00 meeting of a constituency parliamentary 19.00 Political talks Evening events body (panel dis- cussions and Group of visitors Evening event 20.00 Land group meeting lectures) from the in constituency constituency 21.00 22.00 A full schedule: timetable for a sitting week. 18 Sitting weeks If it is to run smoothly, the work to be Head-to-head debate – speaking times performed in a sitting week needs a in the chamber clear basic structure and a fixed timeta- ble. After returning from their constitu- Who is allowed to speak in the plenary encies, the Members of Parliament pre- sittings and for how long depends on pare with their staff on Monday for the the relative size of the parliamentary parliamentary week, determining their groups. The allocation of speaking time activities and priorities. On Monday af- to the individual groups is regularly de- ternoon the parliamentary group execu- termined in an agreement at the start of tives and the executive bodies of the the electoral term. In addition to the rel- parties hold meetings. ative sizes of the groups, other factors On Tuesday the parliamentary groups are generally taken into consideration, convene to discuss the items on the including a bonus for smaller groups agenda. In the morning, the groups’ and extra time for the opposition. With- working parties meet to prepare for the in the agreed framework it is up to par- meetings of the parliamentary commit- liamentary groups themselves to decide tees, which normally take place on which Member can speak for how long Wednesdays. The permanent commit- on a particular topic. Under the Basic tees, whose members are drawn from all Law, the members of the Federal Gov- the parliamentary groups, are the bodies ernment and the Bundesrat are generally that perform the specialised work of Par- permitted to speak for an unlimited liament. At the committee meetings the amount of time. In practice, their speak- groups present their views on legislative ing times are credited to the relevant proposals, thrash out compromises and parliamentary group. Members of the prepare drafts designed to attract majori- groupings and non-attached Members ty support. These are then discussed are allocated speaking time separately in and put to the vote in the public plenary accordance with detailed agreements by sittings on Thursday and Friday. the Council of Elders. Collage: Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz gives a speech during the general debate on the budget for the Federal Chancellery. The mon- itor in the plenary chamber pro- vides an overview of the speakers and speaking times during a de- bate. 19  Britta Haßelmann, Member of the Bundestag and Chairwoman of the Alliance 90/The Greens par- liamentary group, is interviewed on the parliamentary group level in the Reichstag Building. 20  Terms of employment – offices, remuneration and allowances The nature of membership of Parlia- ment, which is limited to an electoral term, dictates that a person’s career must not be impaired if he or she is elected to Parliament and performs his or her wide-ranging tasks in a responsible The President of the sitting ensures that manner. For this reason, all Members of speaking times are observed, along with the Bundestag are entitled to monetary the principle that arguments are heard allowances and benefits in kind, includ- for and against the motion. They can ing furnished and equipped offices in also direct speakers to discontinue the Bundestag and the right to use do- speaking or, if need be, turn off the mi- mestic transport services in the perfor- crophone. mance of their official duties. These ben- The fixed sessions in the sitting weeks efits are supplemented by a flat-rate ex- provide a framework for work. In addi- penses allowance, from which a Member tion to the work in the parliamentary of the Bundestag meets the cost of main- groups, committees and plenary sittings, taining a constituency office and a sec- there are a range of other events such as ond residence in Berlin, for example. conferences, presentations and conver- A staffing allowance enables Members to sations with the press or with represen- pay their employees – research assis- tatives from associations. In addition, tants and office staff – in Berlin and in there are often groups of visitors or their constituency office. Their own school pupils from the constituencies pay – known as Members’ remunera- who wish to meet their representative in tion – is taxable. The level of Members’ Parliament. remuneration is prescribed by law. 21  President of the Bundestag On 26 October 2021, Bärbel Bas (SPD) was elected President of the Bundestag at the constituent sitting of the 20th Ger- man Bundestag, making her the chief representative of Parliament. The Presi- dent and the Vice-Presidents form the Presidium, the supreme authority of the Bundestag. In national protocol, the President of the Bundestag takes second place in order of precedence below the President of the Federal Republic and above the Federal Chancellor and the presidents of the other organs of the Constitution. This reflects the prece- dence of the legislative over the execu- tive branch, of the Bundestag over the Federal Government. The main organs of the Bundestag and other Bundestag bodies 22 The President of the Bundestag is the chief officer of Parliament. Together with the Vice-Presidents in the Presidium and the Council of Elders, he or she directs the business of the Bundestag. The Presi- dent safeguards the rights of Parliament and represents it externally. The Presi- dent of the Bundestag exercises the pro- prietary and police powers in the prem- ises of Parliament and, together with the Vice-Presidents, takes the major deci- sions concerning the staff of the Bundes- tag Administration. He or she is elected Presidium for the duration of the electoral term and The President of the Bundestag and the chairs the plenary sittings in rotation Vice-Presidents form the Presidium, with the Vice-Presidents. which is elected for the duration of an The status of the President and Vice-Presi- electoral term. A member of the Presidi- dents is particularly evident when they um cannot be relieved of his or her of- preside over the plenary sittings of Parlia- fice by a resolution of the Bundestag. ment, where they are required to conduct The Presidium meets regularly in every the deliberations fairly and impartially, sitting week to discuss matters pertain- ensure that the debating rules are ob- ing to the management of the House. In served and that duties are properly per- the 20th electoral term, Bundestag Presi- formed and maintain order in the House. dent Bärbel Bas (SPD) is assisted by If a Member of the Bundestag infringes Vice-Presidents – in order of parliamen- the code of parliamentary conduct, the tary group strength – Aydan Özoğuz President or presiding Vice-President (SPD), Yvonne Magwas (CDU/CSU), may issue a reprimand or a call to order, Katrin Göring-Eckardt (Alliance 90/ withdraw the Member’s right to speak, The Greens), Wolfgang Kubicki (FDP) impose a fine or suspend him or her from and Petra Pau (The Left Party; this sittings and committee meetings for up to parliamentary group was disbanded in 30 sitting days. Decemeber 2023). The President of the Bundestag and the Vice-Presidents: (top row from left) Bärbel Bas (SPD), Aydan Özoğuz (SPD), Yvonne Magwas (CDU/CSU), (bottom row from left) Katrin Göring-Eckardt (Alliance 90/ The Greens), Wolfgang Kubicki (FDP) and Petra Pau (The Left Party). 23  The parliamentary groups Council of Elders Parliamentary groups are the political heart of the Bundestag. Their size and The Presidium is assisted in conducting composition mirrors the results of the the business of Parliament by the Council parliamentary elections. They play a key of Elders, the composition of which re- role in shaping the political work of the flects the relative numerical strength of Bundestag. To form a group, it is neces- the parliamentary groups. Its members sary to muster at least five per cent of the need not be the oldest Members of the Bundestag membership. House, but they are experienced parlia- The relative strengths of the groups deter- mentarians. The Council of Elders, which mine the composition of the Council of is chaired by the President of the Bundes- Elders and the parliamentary committees tag, comprises the members of the Presid- as well as the allocation of committee ium and 23 other Members. Its meetings chairs. The groups can be viewed firstly are also attended by a representative of as the links between political initiatives the Federal Government. throughout the country and their practi- The Council of Elders assists the Presi- cal attainment in Parliament. Secondly, dent of the Bundestag in the performance the groups combine these political initia- of his or her duties and takes decisions tives in Parliament, thus acting as trail- on the internal affairs of the Bundestag, blazers for decisions of the Bundestag. except where such matters are reserved To this end the various parliamentary for the President or the Presidium. The groups form working parties covering foremost duty of the Council of Elders one or more committee portfolios; these consists in setting the work programme working parties examine the issues that of the Bundestag and the agenda for its are being discussed by the specialised plenary sittings. In addition, it is the task committees and prepare the position of of the Council of Elders to deal with dis- the group. For this reason, it is not only putes concerning the dignity and rights Members of Parliaments who have staff to of Parliament or the interpretation of the assist them in their work; the parliamen- Rules of Procedure and, if possible, settle tary groups also engage assistants to coor- them. dinate and support them in their work. 24 The chairs of the parliamentary Top: View from the terrace groups in the 20th electoral term: of the parliamentary group level (top row from left) Rolf Mützenich up to the illuminated dome of the (SPD), Friedrich Merz and Reichstag Building. Alexander Dobrindt (CDU/CSU), Katharina Dröge (Alliance 90/The Greens); (bottom row from left) Britta Haßelmann (Alliance 90/ The Greens), Christian Dürr (FDP), Dr Alice Weidel and Tino Chrupalla (AfD). 25 As alliances of all the Members of Par- liament belonging to a party or, as in the case of the CDU/CSU group, related par- ties, the parliamentary groups are im- December 2023, there have been two portant and often vital cogs in the ma- groupings in the Bundestag since Febru- chinery of Parliament, not only because ary 2024: the Left Party grouping (28 they can introduce new bills, but also seats) and the BSW grouping (10 seats). because they are often a kind of ‘parlia- ment within Parliament’. Even though the members of a group concur in their Committees fundamental political positions, it hap- pens time and again that a wide variety The Bundestag appoints committees to of opinions are held on specific issues. prepare its resolutions. In the 20th At the discussion stage, when the collec- Bundestag there are 25 permanent com- tive will is still taking shape, the group mittees, each comprising between 19 members are not necessarily all of one and 49 full members and the same num- mind before the various positions are as- ber of substitute members. The commit- certained and, if possible, reduced to a tees are organs of the whole Parliament; common denominator. This, too, makes for this reason, their composition re- the groups crucial actors in the political flects the relative strengths of the parlia- process within Parliament. mentary groups. The parliamentary groups decide how many committees are to be appointed, what the remit of Groupings each committee will be and how many members each will have. There are, Members who share the same political however, four committees whose ap- beliefs, but fall short of the minimum pointment is prescribed by the Basic number of Members for parliamentary Law. These are the Defence Committee, group status, can form what is known as the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the a grouping. Following the disbanding of Committee on the Affairs of the Europe- the Left Party parliamentary group in an Union and the Petitions Committee. Photo left: The chairs of the parlia- mentary groupings in the 20th electoral term: (top row from left) Heidi Reichinnek and Sören Pell- mann (The Left Party grouping); (below) Dr Sahra Wagenkencht (BSW grouping). Right: How the Bundestag commit- tees work. 26  Plenary Plenary refers the Plenary refers all or part Plenary refers the bill to bill to the lead of the bill back to the another committee or other committee after lead committee if, for committees for an opinion first reading example, extensive if the content of bill covers amendments have been more than one subject area adopted Lead committee makes a recom- mendation for a plenary decision at second reading Lead committee Committee asked discusses the bill in for an opinion detail, draws up a Opinion draws up an opinion, proposal designed which the lead commit- to attract majority tee must take into ac- support in plenary count Subcommittee prepares Committee refers a a proposal for a decision proposal for a decision or drafts a decision to the subcommittee To enable them to exercise parliamentary scrutiny of the Federal Government, the committees also have the right to take up an is- sue on their own initiative, which means that they can address matters within Subcommittee their respective spheres of may be deployed to deal competence even without with some aspects of the bill a mandate from the House. 27 The remits of the Bundestag committees generally match the portfolios of the var- ious government ministries, which also helps to ensure parliamentary scrutiny of the Federal Government. There are exceptions, however, through which the Bundestag pursues political priorities of its own. These include the Committee Committees of inquiry for the Scrutiny of Elections, Immunity and the Rules of Procedure, the Commit- A significant instrument of the Bundes- tee on Human Rights and Humanitarian tag for scrutinising the Federal Govern- Aid, the Committee on Tourism and the ment is the right enshrined in Article 44 Sports Committee. As a rule, the com- of the Basic Law to appoint committees mittees do not meet in public. of inquiry. Indeed it is required to do so Parliamentary work on new legislation at the request of at least one quarter of takes place predominantly in commit- its Members. Committees of inquiry in- tee, where the plenary transactions of vestigate possible abuses in government the Bundestag are prepared. In the com- and administration and possible mis- mittees, Members of Parliament focus on conduct on the part of politicians. To a specific policy area. They discuss all this end, it can hear witnesses and ex- the bills referred to them by the House perts and can order the submission of and try to find a compromise in commit- files for its perusal. The committee of in- tee on individual matters that prove quiry sets out its findings in a report to controversial. If necessary, committees Parliament, which is considered in ple- may avail themselves of external exper- nary. In order to guarantee effective par- tise by arranging hearings. The outcome liamentary scrutiny of the armed forces, of the committee proceedings is a rec- the Defence Committee is entitled to ommendation for a decision, on the ba- constitute itself as a committee of inqui- sis of which the Bundestag adopts a bill. ry at any time. Public meeting of the Petitions Committee in the conference room of the Marie-Elisabeth Lüders Building. View of the doorplate. 28  Committee learn first-hand how legisla- tion affects ordinary people, for exam- ple. Among the options open to the Study commissions Committee is referral of a petition to the Federal Government for action, consid- On the motion of at least one quarter of eration or information. its Members, the German Bundestag is bound to appoint a study commission to prepare decisions on wide-ranging and Parliamentary Commissioner significant issues. Study commissions for the Armed Forces comprise Members of the Bundestag and external experts. They submit reports Every member of the armed forces is free and recommendations to the Bundestag. to address complaints direct to the Par- liamentary Commissioner for the Armed Forces without going through service Petitions Committee channels. Dr Eva Högl has held this po- sition since May 2020. As a rule, the By means of petitions, anyone in Germa- Commissioner always acts upon learn- ny can influence public policies or the ing of circumstances that seem to indi- organisation of social interaction, by re- cate a breach of the fundamental rights questing that the Bundestag address of military personnel. The Commission- their concern. Petitions provide every- er investigates particular occurrences on one in the Federal Republic of Germany the instructions of the Bundestag or its with a means of direct recourse to Par- Defence Committee or acts on his or her liament. The right of petition is a funda- own initiative. In this way, the Commis- mental right that has been enshrined in sioner for the Armed Forces functions as the Basic Law since 1949. Requests or an auxiliary organ of the Bundestag for complaints to the Bundestag are dealt the purpose of parliamentary oversight with by the Petitions Committee, which of the armed forces. The Commissioner examines and discusses the petitions. In reports to the Bundestag once a year on this way, the members of the Petitions the results of his or her work. Dr Eva Högl, Parliamentary Com- missioner for the Armed Forces at the German Bundestag (left), dur- ing a Bundeswehr field visit to the Air Force Installation Protection Regiment “Friesland” in Schortens (Lower Saxony). Here in conversa- tion with Squadron Commander Dirk Polter (right). 29 Parliamentary Commissioner for the Federal Police Authorities In March 2024, the German Bundestag established the office of the first Parlia- Federal Parliamentary mentary Commissioner for the Federal Commissioner for the Victims Police Authorities as one of its auxiliary of the SED Dictatorship organs. The Commissioner is a point of contact for those working for the Federal The role of the Federal Parliamentary Police, the Federal Criminal Police Of- Commissioner for the Victims of the fice and the Bundestag Police, but also SED Dictatorship is to act as an ombuds- for citizens impacted by police miscon- man for the interests of victims of the duct. The new office is independent and Soviet Occupation Zone / SED dictator- operates free from any directives, out- ship in the political and public spheres, side the official structures of the Federal and to contribute to the recognition and Police Authorities. This new easy-access acknowledgement of victims of Commu- option closes the gap with existing inter- nism in Germany. On 17 June 2021, Par- nal administrative investigations, the liament elected Evelyn Zupke the first options provided by disciplinary and la- Federal Parliamentary Commissioner for bour legislation, and court proceedings. the Victims of the SED Dictatorship. The Each year the Commissioner submits a Commissioner has an advisory role for report to the German Bundestag and the the German Bundestag and its commit- public on the results of his or her work. tees and supports the work of victims’ On 20 March 2024, Uli Grötsch, who un- associations and the institutions and or- til then was a Member of the Bundestag, ganisations that deal with the reapprais- was sworn in as the first Parliamentary al of the GDR dictatorship. Once a year Commissioner for the Federal Police the Commissioner submits a report on Authorities by Bundestag President the situation of the victims to the Ger- Bärbel Bas. man Bundestag. Uli Grötsch has been the first Parliamentary Commissioner for the Federal Police Authorities since March 2024. A former police officer, he previously sat in the Bundestag for the SPD. 30 Providing a voice to the victims of SED injustice: Evelyn Zupke, Federal Parliamentary Commis- sioner for the Victims of the SED Dictatorship, delivers initial recommendations for policy action to Bundestag President Bärbel Bas (SPD). 31 32 33  In a democracy, the power of the state emanates from the people. The voters entrust the representatives of the people with power for a limited time. Who gov- erns the country and makes the laws de- pends on two crosses that the electorate make on their ballot papers. In the elec- tions to the 20th German Bundestag on 26 September 2021, all German citizens who had reached their 18th birthday by election day were eligible to vote. Any German national aged 18 or over can stand as a candidate. Those who are elected to the Bundestag are said to have received a mandate from the people. The word comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning an instruction or commission. They represent the people for a limited time until a new Bundestag is elected. Parliamentary elections 34 First vote for a direct candidate from the constituency At every parliamentary election, voters have two votes to cast. With their first vote, they decide which candidate from their constituency is to represent them in the Bundestag. The candidate with the largest share of the vote wins – a simple Second vote for the party Land list majority is enough. There are 299 con- stituencies in total, from Flensburg in With their second vote, voters choose a Schleswig-Holstein, which is Constituen- party’s Land list. These are lists of candi- cy 1, to Homburg in the Saarland, which dates that a party wishes to send to the is numbered 299. Until the Bundestag Bundestag to represent the respective elections in 2021, the winners in the federal state or Bundesland. Voters’ sec- constituencies automatically entered the ond vote allows them to decide how Bundestag. Following the electoral re- many seats a party is allocated. The sec- form in 2023, however, new rules will ond vote is thus the more important of apply from the next elections (see below). the two. The Members of the 20th Bundestag meet in the Reichstag Building in Berlin. 35  Overhang and balance mandates in the Bundestag Until the 2021 elections, the target size of the Bundestag was 598 Members. Of these, 299 seats went to the winners of the respective constituencies, while the rest went to candidates on the party Land lists. Following recent elections, the number of Members of the Bundestag far exceed- ed 600. This was primarily due to what Five-percent clause were known as overhang mandates, which are created when a party receives In elections to the Bundestag, parties are more direct mandates than it would be required to clear a threshold, whereby entitled to on the basis of its second vote they must win at least five percent of results. In order to re-establish the bal- second votes in order to enter the ance of power indicated by the election Bundestag. Exceptions are made for par- results, the other parties receive balance ties representing national minorities mandates. In this way, the Bundestag such as the South Schleswig Voters’ As- initially grew to encompass 736 Mem- sociation (SSW), which represents the bers following the 2021 elections. Fol- Danish minority in Schleswig-Holstein. lowing the repetition of the elections in This threshold is designed to prevent a Berlin in early 2024 and the departure of splintering of the party system that a Member from the CSU, this number might weaken Parliament. was corrected to 733. 36  2023 electoral reform With 733 Members, the 20th German Bundestag is the world’s largest freely- elected parliament. In order to limit the number of Members, in 2023 the Bunde- stag passed a reform of the Federal Elec- tions Act. The maximum number of Members is set at 630 in future. The distribution of seats will continue to be decided by the num- ber of second votes, but there will no Another reason for the growth of the longer be any overhang or balance man- Bundestag was the clause on the mini- dates. If a party wins more direct man- mum number of direct constituency dates than they are entitled to according seats required for party representation in to their second vote share, the constitu- Parliament. This enabled parties that re- ency winners with the lowest vote shares ceived less than five percent of second will not receive a seat. Likewise, the votes to still enter Parliament if they ob- clause on the minimum number of direct tained at least three direct mandates. In constituency seats required for party rep- the 2021 elections, the Left Party benefit- resentation in Parliament has also been ted from this, as they won only 4.9 per- abolished. An exception to the five-per- cent, however as they also won three di- cent hurdle thus only remains for parties rect mandates, they entered the Bunde- representing the interests of national mi- stag with 39 seats. norities. Starting with the next elections to the Bundestag, there will be a maximum of 630 Members. 37 38  On 20 June 1991, the German Bundestag decided that the seat of Parliament and Government would be moved to Berlin. In accordance with a decision taken by the Council of Elders, the new home of Parliament was to be the Reichstag Building. Following international archi- tectural competitions, a new parliamen- tary quarter emerged in the Spreebogen area, where the River Spree arches northward, its focal point being the re- structured Reichstag Building with its walk-in glazed dome. Every year some three million people from all parts of the world visit the parliamentary buildings in Berlin. Three new parliamentary buildings were constructed around the Reichstag Build- ing following Parliament’s move from Bonn to Berlin. These are the Jakob Kai- ser Building, the Paul Löbe Building and the Marie-Elisabeth Lüders Building Since the end of 2021, the newly-con- structed Luisenblock West provides around 400 additional offices to reflect the increased number of Members. These structures combine imposing and transparent architecture with highly functional design and innovative green technology. Bundestag buildings 40 The Reichstag Building in Berlin, the heart of parliamentary demo- cracy in Germany. 41  ber. Next comes the intermediate visi- tors’ level, and the following floor is the presidential level. Above this is the area occupied by the parliamentary groups, and finally there are the roof terrace and The Reichstag Building the dome. The plenary level on the first floor, recog- An imposing building with monumental nisable by its blue doors, is reserved for facades, the Reichstag has an immediate Members of Parliament, their staff and powerful effect on the beholder. Enter- members of the Federal Government, ing the building, its visitors find a mod- while the western lobby is also accessi- ern interior equipped with state-of-the- ble to media representatives. art technology. British architect Norman All around the plenary chamber there is Foster managed to preserve the historic room for the parliamentary activity that shell of the Reichstag Building while takes place outside the chamber. First of creating the interior space for a modern, all, there are the mingling areas – the tra- outward-looking Parliament. The outer ditional lobby – along with a reference shape of the Reichstag Building has not library and the eastern lobby. There are changed, but modern elements have also lounges for Government members been incorporated, and so the old archi- and a counting room for recorded votes tecture blends with rather futuristic or secret ballots. forms, the whimsical complementing The focal point of the Reichstag Build- the starkly functional in innovative har- ing is the plenary chamber with its floor mony. area of 1,200 square metres. Measuring The basement and ground floor contain 24 metres from floor to ceiling, it covers facilities belonging to the Parliamentary virtually the full height of the building, Secretariat and the technical building and its interior is visible from almost all services as well as supply installations. the floor levels of the surrounding struc- Above them, on the first floor, is the ple- ture as well as from the inner courtyards nary level with the main debating cham- and from many other viewpoints. 42 Members in front of the entrance to the plenary chamber. 43 Plenary chamber and seating plan For visitors to plenary sittings, a mezza- nine floor was constructed above the ple- nary level. The visitors’ gallery in the plenary chamber provides an excellent view of the Members of the Bundestag at work. Six tribunes arranged in a semi- ellipse offer a total of about 430 seats for visitors, official guests of the Bundestag group. From the perspective of the and journalists. From these tribunes the Chair, the first group on the right is visitor’s eye is drawn straight to the the AfD, followed by the FDP and the glazed wall behind the podium where CDU/CSU. To the left of them are Alli- the large Bundestag eagle is suspended. ance 90/The Greens, then the members Beneath it are the seats of those who pre- of the SPD parliamentary group. On the side over the sitting, namely the Presi- far left, from the sixth row are the seats dent (Speaker) of the German Bundestag for the Left Party and BSW groupings or one of his or her deputies and the two (see the graphic on page 5). secretaries – one Member from a group in the governing coalition and the other The Presidium and the from an opposition group. In front of parliamentary groups them is the podium and the shorthand Above the visitors’ level (which has writers’ bench. dark green doors), on the second floor On the left of the President or Vice Pres- with its burgundy doors, are the offices ident, as seen from the visitors’ tribunes, of the President of the Bundestag and are the government benches, while the the senior management of the Bundestag benches to the right of the President are administration, as well as the meeting for the representatives of the Bundesrat. room of the Council of Elders. Between the Bundesrat benches and the The third floor, which is distinguishable President sits the Parliamentary Com- by its grey doors, is home to the parlia- missioner for the Armed Forces. Facing mentary groups; their meeting rooms the presidential rostrum are the Mem- and the press lobby, which can also be bers’ seats, arranged by parliamentary used for receptions, are all on this level. A study in burgundy: the presiden- tial level directly overlooks the plenary chamber. 44  has been successfully incorporated into the construction and refurbishment of these buildings. In the Reichstag Building, the cone- shaped light sculptor with its 360 mir- The Reichstag dome: a magnet rors at the core of the glass cupola fun- for visitors nels daylight into the plenary chamber. Above the third floor, where the parlia- Concealed within this cone, a heat-re- mentary groups have their rooms, covery system operates, to support the stretches the extensive roof terrace. heating of the building. From here, visitors have access to the At the heart of the parliamentary quar- dome, which has a diameter of 40 me- ter’s environmental strategy are the cen- tres at its base and offers a panoramic tral combined heat and power (CHP) view of Berlin from a height of 47 me- plants, with generators which run on tres. The cupola is open at the top and biodiesel produced from rapeseed. In ac- bottom, which makes it appear like a cordance with the trigeneration princi- floating spatial shell with its vertex 54 ple, waste heat created by electricity metres above street level. From the base generation is used to heat the parliament of the dome, visitors can also look down buildings. Overall, this technology en- and see into the plenary chamber when ables the plants to generate, as a long- light conditions permit. term average, 70 percent of heating re- quirement and half of the electricity Environmentalism on the needed to the technical network of the sunny side parliament buildings. Unused waste The Reichstag Building and the sur- heat can be used for cooling purposes in rounding Bundestag edifices are an absorption chiller or can be stored in equipped with environmentally sen- summer in a layer of porous rock some sitive low-energy technology. The ener- 300 metres below the surface in the form gy-saving strategy formulated by the of warm water and pumped up again in Bundestag and the Federal Government winter. Getting on top of Parliament: every year some three million people visit the dome of the Reichstag Building. 45 Chronology of the Reichstag Building 5 December 1894 The Reichstag Building, which had tak- en ten years to build, was formally opened; the architect was Paul Wallot. 9 November 1918 May 1945 Philipp Scheidemann (SPD) proclaimed At the end of the Second World War, the the German Republic from a window of red flag of the Soviet army was flown the Reichstag Building after Imperial above the Reichstag Building as a sign of Chancellor Prince Max of Baden, acting victory over National Socialist Germany. on his own authority, had announced the abdication of Emperor William II at 9 September 1948 noon on the same day. More than 350,000 Berliners gathered for a demonstration in front of the Re- 27 February 1933 ichstag Building during the Soviet Shortly after Adolf Hitler came to pow- blockade of Berlin. Against the back- er, the Reichstag fire signalled the end of drop of the severely damaged edifice, parliamentary democracy in Germany Ernst Reuter, Mayor of Berlin, delivered and served as a pretext for the persecu- his famous appeal: “Peoples of the tion of political opponents. world … look at this city”. Cyrillic graffiti by Second World War Soviet soldiers on the walls of the Reichstag Building on the plenary level. 46 13 August 1961 The Berlin Wall was built, part of it run- ning right next to the Reichstag Build- ing. Nevertheless, the restoration of the building was completed on the basis of designs by Paul Baumgarten; from 1973, it served as the home of an exhibition on German history and provided meeting rooms for parliamentary groups and oth- er parliamentary bodies. 4 October 1990 The first Bundestag elected by the whole June/July 1995 of Germany held its inaugural sitting in Artists Christo and Jeanne-Claude the Reichstag Building. wrapped the Reichstag Building in fabric. At the end of this art event, the 20 June 1991 reconstruction of the building began. The Bundestag in Bonn decided by 338 votes to 320 to return the seat of the Ger- 19 April 1999 man Parliament to the Reichstag Build- The Bundestag took over the recon- ing in Berlin. Following an architectural structed Reichstag Building in Berlin. competition, Sir Norman Foster was Sir Norman Foster presented Wolfgang commissioned to reconstruct the build- Thierse, President of the Bundestag, ing. with a symbolic key to the building. May 1995 The summer of 1999 After some lively debates, the Council of The Bundestag moved from Bonn to Elders opted for the construction of a Berlin. The first sitting week of the modern glass dome with integrated Bundestag in Berlin began on 6 Sep- walkways. tember. Reflections on parliamentary history: Jenny Holzer’s Installation for the Reichstag Building, which displays the text of speeches deliv- ered by Reichstag and Bundestag Members. 47  Paul Löbe (1875–1967) Social Democrat Paul Löbe became a Member of the Weimar National Assem- bly in 1919. In 1920, he became a Mem- The Paul Löbe Building ber of the Reichstag and President of the Reichstag – an office from which he was Next to the Reichstag Building stands ousted in 1932 by Hermann Göring of the Paul Löbe Building. Named after the the National Socialists. last democratic President of the Reich- He was held in custody for six months stag in the Weimar Republic, the build- on the pretext that, as editor of the SPD ing forms part of the ribbon of federal newspaper Vorwärts, he had allegedly buildings in the Spreebogen (a bend in embezzled party funds. He later estab- the River Spree), a ribbon that stretches lished contact with the resistance group across the Spree and across the former assembled by Carl Friedrich Goerdeler division between East and West Berlin. and was imprisoned again after the at- The Paul Löbe Building, some 200 me- tempt on Hitler’s life on 20 July 1944. tres in length and 100 metres in breadth, Once the war was over, Löbe immediate- houses the two-storeyed meeting rooms ly resumed his SPD and editorial activi- of the committees in eight rotundas. ties and in 1948/49, as a member of the The Paul Löbe Building also has about Parliamentary Council, was instrumen- 510 rooms for Members of the Bundes- tal in the formulation of the new consti- tag and 450 offices for committee secre- tution, the Basic Law. As President by tariats and administrative departments, age, he opened the constituent sitting of including the Visitors’ Service. the first German Bundestag in 1949. View through the Paul Löbe Build- ing towards the Marie-Elisabeth Lüders Building. 48 Invitingly spacious: the west entrance to the Paul Löbe Building. 49 The Marie-Elisabeth Lüders Building The new Bundestag building bearing the name of Liberal politician Marie- Elisabeth Lüders serves as the parlia- Marie-Elisabeth Lüders (1878–1966) mentary information and service centre, Liberal politician Marie-Elisabeth housing the large library, the archives Lüders is regarded as one of the most and the Press Documentation Division. important social campaigners and one The library in the Marie-Elisabeth of the leading representatives of the Lüders Building, with more than women’s movement in Germany. In 1912 1.5 million volumes, is one of the she became the first woman in Germany largest parliamentary libraries in to obtain a doctorate in political science; the world. in the period up to 1918 she performed Below the information and advice level several leading functions in the realm of of the library rotunda is a section of the social work and in the effort to improve Berlin Wall within an otherwise empty conditions for women. In 1919 she be- room. The piece of what was known as came a member of the constituent Na- the hinterland wall follows the former tional Assembly; from 1920 to 1921 and course of that wall and is a reminder of from 1924 to 1930 she was a Member of the history of the site. The building also the Reichstag. contains a large hearing room, which is In 1933 the National Socialists banned chiefly used by study commissions and her from exercising her profession and committees of inquiry. On completion of from publishing her writings; in 1937 the construction of an extension to the she had to endure four months of soli- Marie-Elisabeth Lüders Building, the tary confinement. Bundestag Art Room, where exhibitions From 1953 to 1961, she represented the of contemporary art with a parliamenta- FDP in the Bundestag and opened two ry and political flavour are held, will of its constituent sittings as President once more be open to the public. by age. Under construction: when the extension designed by architect Stephan Braunfels is completed, the Marie-Elisabeth Lüders Build- ing will boast a total floor area of 44,000 square metres. 50 Exterior view of the Marie- Elisabeth Lüders Building. 51 The Jakob Kaiser Building The main purpose of the largest of the new parliamentary buildings, the Jakob Jakob Kaiser (1888–1961) Kaiser Building, is to provide office ac- In 1912, he became a member of the commodation for the parliamentary Centre Party, which he represented in groups and their staff. The Jakob Kaiser the last freely elected Reichstag. In 1934 Building, in which more than 2.000 peo- he joined the resistance against the Na- ple work, integrates existing architecture tional Socialists and spent several and incorporates elements of the old months in the custody of the Gestapo in street plan, thereby preserving the tradi- 1938 on suspicion of plotting high trea- tions of urban development in Berlin. son. He narrowly escaped capture in the Five teams of architects worked on the wave of arrests that followed the abor- building, which is actually a complex of tive coup of 20 July 1944 and was the eight structures. Among the occupants sole survivor from the inner circle of the of the Jakob Kaiser Building are the trade unionists’ resistance movement in Vice-Presidents of the Bundestag, the Berlin. parliamentary groups’ executive com- After the war, he was involved in the es- mittees, the Bundestag’s Press Office and tablishment of the Christian Democratic media services. Around 60 % of the Union (CDU) and became party chair- Members of the Bundestag have their of- man for Berlin and the Soviet occupa- fices here; all of them have three rooms tion zone. Because of his opposition to with a floor area of about 18 square me- the assimilation policy, however, the So- tres each for themselves and their staff. viet Military Administration stripped The allocation of office space to the par- him of the chairmanship in 1947. liamentary groups is determined afresh Kaiser was a member of the Berlin City by a commission of the Council of El- Parliament and participated in the ders after each general election. As is drafting of the Basic Law as a member of the norm in the Bundestag, allocation is the Parliamentary Council. From 1949, based strictly on the relative numerical he was a Member of the Bundestag and strength of the groups. Minister for All-German Affairs. Vanishing lines: the Jakob Kaiser Building offers an impressive study in perspective. 52 Jakob Kaiser Building on the Reichstagsufer with the Reichstag Building. 53  The office building was constructed in line with the plans of the Berlin-based architectural firm of Sauerbruch Hutton. The concept stood out particularly in terms of efficiency and sustainability. The Luisenblock West The office spaces were built using a modular timber construction method, Since December 2021, a seven-storey with the approximately 460 wooden modular building with an H-shaped lay- modules being prefabricated predomi- out has stood at the “Luisenblock West” nantly in Berlin, in order to shorten site to the north of the Marie-Elisabeth transport distances and thus lower emis- Lüders Building – a plot of land where sions. The two core areas of the build- GDR-era prefabricated concrete build- ing, where the central stairwell is locat- ings were located until the end of the ed, were constructed from prefabricated 1990s. reinforced concrete units with exposed In just 15 months, under the manage- concrete surfaces. Due to the modular ment of the Federal Office for Building construction, the building can be dis- and Regional Planning (BBR), 400 offic- mantled, allowing the modules to be re- es for Members were constructed on constructed at another site and thus re- time and within budget, in order to ac- used. The sustainable approach also in- commodate at short notice the increase cludes what is referred to as the Wood to the current number of 736 Members Cycle concept. The bidding consortium of the Bundestag following the 2021 pledged to ensure that the 2500 cubic elections. metres of timber used in construction The height and cubic volume of the new will be replaced by newly planted trees building follows that of the Marie-Elisa- which will grow back and be able to ab- beth Lüders Building opposite, allowing sorb CO2 within 15 years. In addition, a it to integrate seamlessly into the sur- significant share of the new building’s rounding environment. At the same electricity supply is covered by the pho- time, coloured panels on the facade pro- tovoltaic panels installed on the roof, vide fresh accents that give the building with a generating area of approximately its own unique character. 590 square metres. The colourful facade of the modular building is highly recognisable. 54 The entrance to the Luisenblock West. 55  The Bundestag is one of the world’s most-visited parliaments. Every year some three million people from all over the globe visit the Reichstag Building and the other Bundestag buildings in the par- liamentary quarter. The Visitors’ Service of the German Bundestag offers a wide range of services for these guests. These include guided tours focused on architecture or art works, a tour of the dome on the Reichstag Building, or atten- dance at a plenary sitting. During the pe- riods when the Bundestag is not sitting there are lectures in the plenary chamber on the tasks, working practices and com- position of the Bundestag as well as on the history and architecture of the Reichs- tag Building. There are special events for children and young people, such as children’s days, parliamentary seminars or role-playing games in which young people learn through experience about the workings of parliamentary democracy. More information can be obtained online at www.bundestag.de/en/