Bundestag

The Bundestag is the federal parliament and the principal lawmaking body of Germany. It represents the German people and holds legislative, budgetary, and oversight responsibilities. Its sessions are held in the Reichstag building in Berlin, the seat of the parliament since reunification.

Members of the Bundestag are elected for four-year terms through a mixed-member proportional representation system. Most have a direct mandate in a constituency (first vote), while additional seats are allocated to achieve proportional representation based on party lists (second vote). The body normally contains about 598 seats, but the size can increase due to overhang and leveling seats to preserve proportionality. Members organize into parliamentary groups and participate in committees that prepare legislation and scrutinize the government. The Bundestag elects the Federal Chancellor and may remove the Chancellor through a constructive vote of no confidence.

Key powers include enacting federal laws, approving the national budget, and supervising the executive branch. It formulates and debates policy, conducts inquiries, and can establish special or investigative committees. Most laws require a simple majority of votes cast in the Bundestag, while constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority in both the Bundestag and the Bundesrat, the federal council representing the Länder.

The Bundesrat, representing Germany’s states, participates in the legislative process and can influence laws that affect state competences; in some cases its consent is required. The President of the Bundestag presides over debates and represents the body externally.

Historical context: the Bundestag was established by the Basic Law in 1949 for West Germany and moved to Berlin in 1999 after reunification. It remains the central institution of Germany’s parliamentary democracy, balancing legislative authority with executive oversight.