The German Parliament: Bundestag and Bundesrat

The German Parliament consists of two chambers: the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. The Bundestag is the lower house and is responsible for passing legislation and electing the Chancellor. The Bundesrat, on the other hand, is the upper house and represents the sixteen states of Germany.

The Bundestag

The Bundestag is composed of 709 members who are elected every four years through a mixed electoral system. Half of the members are elected through direct votes, while the other half are chosen through a party list system. The Bundestag is responsible for:

- Passing laws
- Approving the federal budget
- Electing the Chancellor
- Overseeing the work of the government
- Debating and discussing important issues

The Bundestag is led by a President who is elected by the members of the Bundestag. The President's main role is to preside over the sessions of the Bundestag and to ensure that the rules of procedure are followed.

The Bundesrat

The Bundesrat is composed of representatives from the sixteen states of Germany. The number of representatives each state sends to the Bundesrat is based on the population of each state. The Bundesrat is responsible for:

- Approving or rejecting legislation passed by the Bundestag
- Representing the interests of the states in the federal government
- Participating in the election of the President of Germany
- Making recommendations for the appointment of federal judges

The Bundesrat is led by a President who is elected by the members of the Bundesrat. The President's main role is to preside over the sessions of the Bundesrat and to ensure that the rules of procedure are followed.

Conclusion

The German Parliament is made up of two chambers: the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. The Bundestag is responsible for passing legislation and electing the Chancellor, while the Bundesrat represents the interests of the states in the federal government. Together, they form the legislative branch of the German government.

The parliament itself is called “Bundestag”. The building is called “Reichstag”, because that was the parliament of the German Empire and the Weimar Republic the building was originally for.