German Bundestag

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Germany's directly elected federal parliament and principal legislative body.

Last updated November 4, 2026

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Overview

The German Bundestag is the federal parliament of the Federal Republic of Germany and the country's only constitutional body whose members are directly elected by the people. It was created by the Basic Law, Germany's constitution, in 1949, alongside the Bundesrat and the federal government as one of the central institutions of the federal political system. Although the Bundesrat represents the governments of Germany's 16 Länder, the Bundestag represents the German people as a whole and exercises the more substantial role in ordinary federal legislation, parliamentary oversight, budget authorization, and the formation of the federal government. The Bundestag is elected for a regular four-year term by German citizens aged 18 or older. Its electoral system combines constituency elections with proportional representation. Voters cast a constituency vote and a party-list vote, with the overall distribution of seats intended to reflect the national party vote while maintaining direct constituency representation. Following electoral reforms, the Bundestag has a fixed statutory size of 630 members beginning with the 21st legislative period. Members are representatives of the whole people, are not legally bound by instructions, and are expected to act according to their conscience and constitutional responsibilities. The parliament's core work is carried out through plenary sessions, parliamentary groups, committees, commissions of inquiry, and other specialized bodies. Bills may originate with the federal government, the Bundesrat, or members of the Bundestag meeting the applicable procedural requirements. Proposals normally pass through several readings and committee consideration before a final vote. Most legislation requires a simple majority in the Bundestag. Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat. Depending on the subject, the Bundesrat may have an approval right or may lodge an objection that the Bundestag can, under defined conditions, override. The Bundestag also elects the Federal Chancellor, normally following a proposal by the Federal President, and can replace a chancellor only through a constructive vote of no confidence that simultaneously elects a successor. It shares responsibility with the Bundesrat for choosing judges of the Federal Constitutional Court and elects or participates in selecting several other federal officeholders. Through the federal budget, authorization of deployments and other parliamentary decisions, it exercises extensive control over the executive. Parliamentary committees can summon ministers, request information, and investigate matters of public importance. The institution has a long historical background. Earlier bodies called Bundestag existed within the German Confederation from 1816 to 1866, but that assembly was a diplomatic convention of state representatives rather than a modern elected parliament. Germany's subsequent Reichstag institutions provided increasingly important legislative and budgetary functions, while the Weimar Republic introduced universal adult suffrage including women. The failure of parliamentary democracy in the late Weimar period and the Nazi dictatorship strongly influenced the Basic Law's design, including safeguards against authoritarian concentration of power and the constructive vote of no confidence. From 1949 until reunification, the Bundestag was the parliament of West Germany. It met in Bonn, while the German Democratic Republic maintained its own legislature, the Volkskammer. Since German reunification in 1990, the Bundestag has represented the whole of Germany. In 1999 it moved from Bonn to Berlin and began meeting in the restored Reichstag Building, whose historic structure now contains a modern parliamentary chamber beneath a prominent glass cupola. The Bundestag maintains additional parliamentary buildings, visitor services, educational programs, a public information operation, and its own parliamentary police force. Since 2025, its president has been Julia Klöckner.

History

The word Bundestag has been used for German representative institutions since the German Confederation, whose Bundestag met in Frankfurt from 1816 until 1866. That body was not a popular parliament: it consisted of envoys appointed by the member states. The revolutionary Frankfurt National Assembly of 1848–49 was the first broadly elected German national parliamentary body, but its attempt to establish a unified constitutional state failed. The North German Confederation created an elected Reichstag in 1867, and the institution continued after the federation expanded into the German Empire in 1871. The imperial Reichstag approved legislation and possessed important budgetary powers, but the Chancellor and government remained politically responsible to the emperor rather than to parliament. A constitutional reform late in the First World War briefly strengthened parliamentary responsibility, but the imperial system ended with Germany's defeat and revolution in 1918. The Weimar Constitution of 1919 established a republican parliamentary democracy. It introduced equal voting rights for women and lowered the voting age to 20, later 21 in practice under the constitutional framework. The Reichstag was elected through proportional representation and exercised legislative authority, but unstable party coalitions, repeated elections, economic crises, anti-democratic movements, and the increasing use of presidential emergency powers weakened the system. After Adolf Hitler became Chancellor in 1933, the Reichstag Fire Decree and Enabling Act removed essential constitutional restraints. By late 1933 only Nazi representatives remained, and the body became a formal instrument of dictatorship. It last met in April 1942. After the Second World War, the Basic Law of 1949 created the Bundestag as the parliament of the Federal Republic. The constitutional design sought to preserve democratic representation while preventing a repetition of Weimar's collapse. The Bundestag was given authority to legislate, approve the federal budget, oversee the government, and elect the Chancellor. The constructive vote of no confidence requires parliament to agree on a successor before removing a sitting chancellor, reducing the risk of government collapse without an alternative majority. The Basic Law also established the Bundesrat as the institution representing the Länder. During the division of Germany, the Bundestag was effectively the parliament of West Germany. It met in Bonn, initially using temporary facilities and later the Bundeshaus. West Berlin had a special legal status: its residents did not participate directly in Bundestag elections, although the city was represented by non-voting delegates selected by its legislature. East Germany had a separate legislature, the Volkskammer, whose democratic legitimacy was severely limited except during the final transition period in 1990. German reunification in 1990 transformed the Bundestag into the parliament of the entire country. The institution relocated from Bonn to Berlin in 1999, returning to the historic Reichstag Building. The building was extensively modernized and fitted with a glass cupola, while nearby parliamentary structures were added to accommodate committees, parliamentary groups, administration, and public access. The Bundestag also developed a permanent visitor and educational infrastructure, including guided tours, exhibitions, debates, and online publication of parliamentary proceedings. The Bundestag's modern activity combines legislation, scrutiny of the executive, public debate, elections to constitutional and federal offices, and control of public finances. Its committees perform much of the detailed policy work, while plenary sessions provide formal readings and votes. Members organize themselves into parliamentary groups, which coordinate legislative work but do not eliminate members' constitutional freedom of mandate. The Bundestag cannot dissolve itself. An early election is possible only in constitutionally restricted circumstances, principally after a failed Chancellor election or a failed confidence vote followed by presidential dissolution. The body has 630 members in the 21st legislative period.

2025
Twenty-first legislative period begins
[11]Twenty-first legislative period beginsbundestag.de
The newly elected Bundestag convenes with 630 members, and Julia Klöckner is elected president.
2023
Electoral reform establishes a fixed Bundestag size
[10]Electoral reform establishes a fixed Bundestag sizeen.wikipedia.org
A reform changes the seat-allocation system and removes additional and balancing seats, with the Bundestag set at 630 members from the next regular election.
1999
Parliament moves to Berlin
[4]Parliamentary architecture and Reichstag Buildingbundestag.de
The Bundestag begins meeting in the renovated Reichstag Building after the federal capital's parliamentary relocation from Bonn.
1990
Bundestag becomes the parliament of reunited Germany
[9]Bundestag becomes the parliament of reunited Germanyen.wikipedia.org
German reunification extends the Bundestag's constitutional role across the former East and West German territories.
1949
Bundestag founded under the Basic Law
[2]German Basic Lawgesetze-im-internet.de
The Federal Republic's Basic Law establishes the Bundestag as its directly elected federal parliament.
1933
Parliamentary democracy is dismantled
[8]Parliamentary democracy is dismantleden.wikipedia.org
Emergency measures and the Enabling Act deprive the Reichstag of effective constitutional power under the Nazi dictatorship.
1919
Weimar parliamentary democracy begins
[7]Weimar parliamentary democracy beginsen.wikipedia.org
The Weimar Constitution establishes a republican Reichstag elected under a broader franchise that includes women.
1888
Reichstag Building is completed
[4]Parliamentary architecture and Reichstag Buildingbundestag.de
The historic Reichstag Building in Berlin is completed for the parliament of the German Empire.
1867
North German Confederation Reichstag established
[6]North German Confederation Reichstag establisheden.wikipedia.org
An elected Reichstag is created for the North German Confederation, providing a major predecessor to later German federal parliaments.
1848
Frankfurt National Assembly is elected
[5]Frankfurt National Assembly is electeden.wikipedia.org
The Frankfurt National Assembly becomes the first elected German national parliament and attempts to draft a constitution for a unified Germany.
1816
German Confederation Bundestag convenes
[1]Bundestagen.wikipedia.org
An earlier institution called the Bundestag begins meeting in Frankfurt as a council of state envoys within the German Confederation.

Products and positioning

A democratic, federal, directly elected legislature responsible for national lawmaking, executive accountability, federal budgeting, and the election of the German Chancellor.

public legislative output · 1949
Federal legislation
The Bundestag debates, amends, and adopts federal statutes covering areas within the constitutional competence of the federal government. Bills may be introduced by the federal government, the Bundesrat, or members of parliament meeting procedural support requirements. Measures normally undergo readings and committee review before being transmitted to the Bundesrat and, where required, signed by the Federal President.
public financial authorization · 1949
Federal budget
The Bundestag exercises federal budgetary authority by debating and approving the federal budget. Budget legislation allocates public funds among ministries and programs and provides a central instrument for parliamentary control of the executive. Budget negotiations are conducted through committees and parliamentary groups before final plenary approval.
democratic accountability · 1949
Parliamentary oversight
Through questions, debates, committees, hearings, reports, and commissions of inquiry, the Bundestag monitors the federal government and administration. This function gives opposition parties institutional tools to scrutinize policy, spending, security decisions, and government performance.
civic information · 1949
Public education and visitor services
The Bundestag provides public information about parliamentary procedure, history, architecture, elections, and current debates. Its Berlin facilities support guided visits, exhibitions, lectures, youth programs, and access to parliamentary documents and proceedings.

Controversies

2021
Mask procurement affair involving members of parliament
Several members of the Bundestag became associated with allegations that they had profited from arranging or facilitating mask procurement contracts during the COVID-19 pandemic. The affair prompted criminal investigations, political criticism, and renewed debate about rules governing members' outside activities and financial transparency.
Source
2020
Wirecard oversight controversy
The collapse of Wirecard led to intense parliamentary scrutiny of financial regulators, auditors, ministries, and the government. A Bundestag investigative committee examined whether public authorities had failed to respond adequately to warning signs and whether the executive had exercised sufficient oversight.
Source

2020Digital access to parliamentary work
Germany · International online audience
The Bundestag expanded digital publication of plenary proceedings, committee information, documents, livestreams, and educational material, helping maintain public access during periods when in-person parliamentary visits were restricted.
Outcome. Parliamentary information and proceedings remain broadly available through the Bundestag's online services.
Source
1999Berlin parliamentary relocation
Germany
The Bundestag supported the federal move from Bonn to Berlin by transferring plenary, committee, administrative, and visitor functions to a modernized parliamentary district centered on the Reichstag Building.
Outcome. The Bundestag has operated primarily from Berlin since 1999.
Source

Brand decisions

2023
Approval of electoral-system reformOther
Background
The previous electoral system allowed the Bundestag to expand substantially through overhang and balancing seats, creating concerns about parliamentary size and electoral complexity.
Action taken
The Bundestag adopted reforms designed to fix the chamber at 630 seats and make the proportional allocation of seats more decisive.
Aftermath
The reform applied from the subsequent Bundestag election and became the subject of constitutional litigation and continuing political debate.
Source
1990
Integration after German reunificationStrategy
Background
The reunification of Germany required the federal parliamentary system to extend across the former East and West German territories.
Action taken
The Bundestag assumed its role as the parliament of the reunited Federal Republic and incorporated the political representation created by the reunification settlement.
Aftermath
The institution became an all-German parliament and later moved its permanent seat to Berlin.
Source
1949
Adoption of the Basic Law frameworkStrategy
Background
The postwar constitutional settlement sought to create a democratic federal legislature while addressing weaknesses that had contributed to the collapse of the Weimar Republic.
Action taken
The Basic Law established the Bundestag, defined its legislative and oversight powers, and linked the formation and removal of the federal government to parliamentary confidence.
Aftermath
The Bundestag became the central directly elected institution of the Federal Republic and has remained a core element of Germany's constitutional order.
Source

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