| Parliament name |
- |
| Structure of parliament |
Bicameral |
| Chamber name (generic / translated) |
Bundesrat / Federal Council |
| Related chamber (for bicameral parliaments) |
Deutscher Bundestag / German Bundestag
|
| APPOINTMENT AND TERM OF OFFICE |
| Title |
President of the Federal Council |
| Term |
- duration: 1 year (from 1 November to 31 October)
- reasons for interruption of the term of office: end of membership of the Land Government |
| Appointment |
- elected by the Federal Assembly each year |
| Eligibility |
- the Ministers-Presidents of each Land are successively elected |
| Voting system |
- the Minister-President of each Land is successively elected President of the Bundesrat in an order determined by the number of inhabitants in each Land. The first President is the Minister-President of the most populated Land - each of the 16 Länder therefore has access to the Presidency once every 16 years |
| Procedures / results |
- the former President presides over the Federal Council during the voting
- the former President supervises the voting
- the former President announces the results without any delay
- the result cannot be challenged |
| STATUS |
| Status |
- ranks second after the Federal President in his capacity of Deputy President of the Republic
- the President of the Bundestag presides over joint meetings of both Houses (for the swearing-in of the Federal President)
- represents the Bundesrat in relations with public authorities and in international bodies. Can be represented by his/her Vice-Presidents or other Members of the Chamber.
- in the absence of the President, one of the three Vice-Presidents can assume his/her role and functions |
| Board |
- Präsidium
- composed of the President and three Vice-Presidents
- assisted and advised by a Permanent Consultative Council (Ständiger Beirat) composed of the 16 plenipotentiaries of the Länder.
- is responsible for establishing the budget draft |
| Material facilities |
- official expense allowance (remuneration for representational duties) allowance of 1,023 euros per month
- services of the Secretariat of the Presidency
- official car
- bodyguards provided by each state (Bundesland)
- free use of the helicopters of the Federal Boarder Guard Service (Bundesgrenzschutz) and the planes of the Air Force (Luftwaffe) |
| FUNCTIONS |
| Organization of parliamentary business |
- convenes sessions
- establishes and modifies the agenda
- organizes the debates and sets speaking time
- examines the admissibility of bills and amendments
- refers texts to a committee for study |
| Chairing of public sittings |
- opens, adjourns and closes sittings
- ensures respect for provisions of the Constitution and Standing Orders
- makes announcements concerning the Bundesrat
- takes disciplinary measures in the event of disturbance, and lifts such measures with the assistance of the Secretary General
- establishes the list of speakers, gives and withdraws permission to speak
- establishes the order in which amendments are taken up and selects which amendments are to be debated. The order can be modified by the Bundesrat
- calls for a vote, decides how it is to be carried out, verifies the voting procedure and cancels a vote in the event of irregularities
- checks the quorum
- authenticates the adopted texts and the records of debates
- interprets the rules or other regulations governing the life of the Bundesrat
- has discretionary power to give the floor outside the agenda and thus organizes impromptu debates |
| Special powers |
- assigns the Secretary General of the Bundesrat with the agreement of the Bundesrat
- is responsible for relations with foreign Parliaments, with the assistance of the members of the Präsidium, the Members of the Chamber, the Permanent Consultative Council and the Secretariat
- is responsible for security and, in this capacity, can call in the police in the event of disturbance in the Chamber with the assistance of the Secretary General |
| Speaking and voting rights, other functions |
- takes the floor in legislative debates
- proposes bills or amendments in his capacity of Representative of his/her Land |
Compare data for parliamentary chambers in the Presidency module
