German Bundestag

German Bundestag
Bundestag; Urheber Prof. Ludwig Gies, Bearbeitung 2008: büro uebele, Stuttgart · Public domain · source
Name	German Bundestag
Background color	#002664
Text color	#FFCC00
Legislature	20th Bundestag
House type	Lower house
Body	Federal Republic of Germany
Jurisdiction	Germany
Term limits	None
Foundation	7 September 1949
Preceded by	Reichstag (Weimar Republic)
Leader1 type	President of the Bundestag
Leader1	Bärbel Bas
Party1	SPD
Election1	26 October 2021
Leader2 type	Vice Presidents
Leader2	Aydan Özoğuz, Yvonne Magwas, Katrin Göring-Eckardt, Wolfgang Kubicki, Petra Pau
Leader3 type	Leader of the Opposition
Leader3	Friedrich Merz
Party3	CDU
Election3	15 February 2022
Members	736
Political groups1	Government (416), SPD (206), Greens (118), FDP (92), Opposition (320), CDU (197), CSU (45), AfD (78)
Voting system1	Mixed-member proportional representation
Last election1	26 September 2021
Next election1	On or before 26 October 2025
Meeting place	Reichstag building, Berlin
Website	https://www.bundestag.de/

German Bundestag. The German Bundestag is the national parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is the supreme constitutional and legislative body, directly elected by the German people every four years. Its primary functions include passing federal laws, electing the Federal Chancellor, and exercising oversight of the Federal Government.

History

The Bundestag was established with the promulgation of the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany on 23 May 1949, first convening in Bonn on 7 September 1949. It succeeded the Reichstag (Weimar Republic) of the Weimar Republic and stands in contrast to the Volkskammer of the former German Democratic Republic. A pivotal moment in its history was the Bonn–Berlin resolution of 1991, which decided to move the seat of parliament from Bonn to Berlin following German reunification. The first session in the renovated Reichstag building in Berlin took place in 1999. Historically significant figures who have served as its President include Eugen Gerstenmaier, Annemarie Renger, and Wolfgang Schäuble.

Functions and powers

The Bundestag's core constitutional function is the passage of federal legislation, often in a bicameral process with the Bundesrat (Germany). It elects the Federal Chancellor in a vote without debate, as famously occurred with Konrad Adenauer in 1949 and Angela Merkel in 2005. The parliament exercises control over the executive through mechanisms like the Permanent Committee and the right to establish committees of inquiry, such as those investigating the Wirecard scandal or the Cum-Ex scandal. It also holds the power to approve the federal budget, declare a state of defence, and participate in electing the Federal President and judges to the Federal Constitutional Court.

Composition and elections

The Bundestag is elected for a four-year term via a system of mixed-member proportional representation. Each voter casts two votes: one for a direct candidate in one of 299 constituencies, and a second for a state list of a political party. Seats are allocated proportionally based on the second vote results, with a 5% threshold or three direct mandates required for a party to enter parliament. This system has traditionally been dominated by the CDU, its Bavarian sister party the CSU, and the SPD, though parties like The Greens, the FDP, and more recently the AfD and The Left have gained representation. The 2021 German federal election resulted in the first three-party coalition government between the SPD, Greens, and FDP.

Organisation and procedure

The Bundestag organises itself through its elected President, currently Bärbel Bas, and a governing body called the Council of Elders. Most legislative work is conducted in specialised standing committees, such as those for Foreign Affairs, Finance, and Defence. Plenary sessions follow rules of procedure outlined in the Geschäftsordnung des Deutschen Bundestages. Political power is structured through parliamentary groups (*Fraktionen*), which require a minimum of 5% of members, and smaller groups of members (*Gruppen*). Key instruments in legislative procedure include readings of bills, question times directed at the Federal Government, and debates on major issues like the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Seat and buildings

Since 1999, the Bundestag's primary seat is the historic Reichstag building in Berlin, renowned for its glass dome designed by architect Norman Foster. The parliamentary complex also includes several modern buildings in the Band des Bundes, such as the Paul-Löbe-Haus, the Marie-Elisabeth-Lüders-Haus, and the Jakob-Kaiser-Haus, which are connected by bridges and tunnels across the Spree River. The former parliamentary premises in Bonn now house the Bonn Bundestag as a secondary seat for some administrative functions and committee meetings. The Plenary hall within the Reichstag building is the central venue for debates and votes.