Kreisverbände

Kreisverband is the district-level unit of many German political parties and associations. It corresponds to the administrative district (Kreis) and operates between the local Ortsverbände and the state-level Landesverband. Its tasks include coordinating party activities in the district, representing the district within the party, and implementing decisions from higher levels.

The Kreisverband is governed by a Kreisvorstand elected by a Kreisverbandstag or Kreisdelegiertenversammlung. Typical offices include a Vorsitzender (chair), deputies, a Schatzmeister (treasurer), and a Schriftführer (secretary). The organization may form committees for areas such as local elections, membership, finances, and youth work. The exact structure is defined by the party statutes.

Functions include membership recruitment and retention, organization of local campaigns, training for members, and support for candidates in municipal and district elections. It serves as a contact point for members within the district and liaises with other levels of the party as well as with local media and civil society.

The Kreisverband must align with the policies and resolutions of the Landesverband and the federal party, implementing them at the district level. Decision-making processes typically involve the Kreisverbandstag or Kreisdelegiertenversammlung, where representatives from the subordinate Ortsverbände participate.

The term is also used outside politics in other associations to denote a district branch. While most commonly associated with political parties, Kreisverbände can exist in sports clubs, cultural associations, and consumer organizations.