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| Bundesversammlung (Germany) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Bundesversammlung |
| House type | Electoral college |
| Leader1 type | President |
| Established | 1949 |
Bundesversammlung (Germany) is the special [...]. The Bundesversammlung convenes solely to elect the President of Germany by secret ballot, drawing delegates from the Bundestag and from the state parliaments of the Länder of Germany. It is an infrequently meeting constitutional body created by the Basic Law in the aftermath of World War II and the occupation of Allied Germany, shaped by debates involving figures such as Konrad Adenauer and institutions like the Parliamentary Council.
The Bundesversammlung's constitutional basis lies in the Basic Law and its mission parallels electoral colleges elsewhere, but with unique German features. It comprises all members of the Bundestag together with an equal number of delegates elected by the state parliaments of each Land based on party strength, bringing together representatives from entities including the CDU, SPD, The Greens, FDP, AfD, and regional parties like the CSU. Delegates often include notable individuals from institutions such as the Federal Constitutional Court, the Max Planck Society, the DGB, cultural figures associated with the Berlin Philharmonic, and municipal leaders from cities like Berlin and Munich.
The election is governed by provisions of the Basic Law and detailed in laws enacted by the Bundestag and state parliaments. Candidates are nominated by parliamentary groups such as the The Left or coalitions like the traffic light coalition and require no formal party endorsement to run. Voting is by secret ballot, with absolute majority required in the first two rounds and plurality allowed in subsequent rounds, echoing procedures found in other systems like the United States Electoral College only superficially. The President is elected for a five-year term and may be re-elected once, paralleling term limits discussed in debates around figures such as Frank-Walter Steinmeier and predecessors including Roman Herzog and Richard von Weizsäcker.
The Bundesversammlung was conceived during the postwar constitutional discussions at the Parliamentary Council in 1948–1949 as a response to experiences with the Weimar Republic's presidential elections and the misuse of emergency powers under the Presidential system. Its formation reflects influences from the Allied Control Council era and the constitutional theories debated by jurists like Hermann Heller and politicians including Theodor Heuss, the first person elected by the body in 1949. Over decades the assembly has engaged with changing party landscapes, responding to events such as German reunification, the role of figures associated with the Stasi revelations, and controversies involving candidates linked to institutions like the Bundeswehr or enterprises such as Deutsche Bahn.
The President of the Bundestag presides over the Bundesversammlung's session, often held in historic venues such as the Schauspielhaus Berlin or the Reichstag building. Procedures include nomination speeches by parliamentary group leaders from parties like the CDU, SPD, and Bündnis 90/Die Grünen, followed by secret balloting administered by officials drawn from the Bundestag staff and overseen by security services connected to the Federal Police. The assembly follows formal rules touching on quorum, ballot papers, and invalid votes, with precedents set during notable sittings involving presidents like Roman Herzog and Joachim Gauck.
When the office of President becomes vacant, the Basic Law empowers the Bundesrat and Bundesversammlung procedures interact with offices such as the President of the Bundesrat and the President of the Bundestag; the Basic Law provides for the President of the Bundesrat to exercise duties temporarily, as occurred in historical instances following sudden vacancies. The Bundesversammlung reconvenes if an early election for President is required, ensuring continuity comparable to arrangements in constitutions discussed during debates at the Frankfurt Parliament and postwar constitutional scholarship involving the Max Planck Institute for Comparative Public Law and International Law.
Elections by the Bundesversammlung have produced moments of political symbolism and controversy: the 1969 contest involving candidates from the SPD and CDU reflected shifts leading to the Ostpolitik era; the 2010 election of Christian Wulff prompted scrutiny tied to media investigations involving outlets such as Bild and legal probes by public prosecutors; and the 2012 resignation of Wulff led to the 2012 Bundesversammlung election of Joachim Gauck, a figure associated with the Federal Commissioner for the Stasi Records and civic movements in GDR history. Debates around nominations have seen interventions by cultural actors like directors from the Bavarian State Opera and intellectuals from the Hegel Archive, while legal challenges have involved the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany on procedural questions. Contemporary controversies touch on the selection of celebrity delegates, the influence of party caucuses, and transparency issues raised by NGOs such as Transparency International.