Germany

Federal Council

Political system
Parliamentary system
Structure of parliament
Bicameral
IPU membership
Yes

Parliamentary mandate

Start and end of mandate

Start of the parliamentary mandate for newly elected members
Not applicable
Not applicable. Members of this parliament/chamber are not elected.
Yes
Start of the parliamentary mandate for appointed members
At the time of appointment

Sources: Basic Law, art. 51

End of the parliamentary mandate
Other

Notes: No set term. Mandate ends on the day when the Land cabinet so decides or when the Member ceases to be a Member of the Land cabinet.

Sources: Basic Law, art. 51

Speaker

Mode of designation of the Speaker
The Speaker is elected from among the members of parliament/chamber
Authority that designates the Speaker when the Speaker is designated from outside parliament.
Not applicable
Rank of the Speaker in the hierarchy of the State
Fourth
Speaker becomes interim Head of State in the event of the latter’s death or incapacity
Yes

Notes: In the event of the Head of State’s death or incapacity the Speaker of the Bundesrat shall exercise his or her powers.

Sources: Basic Law, art. 57

Speaker's mandate continues between legislatures
Yes

Notes: The Bundesrat is a continuous chamber and doesn’t have any terms.

Speaker terms

The term of the Speaker is different from the term of the house
Yes
Speaker's term
1 Years
Fixed election date for the Speaker, if any
1 November

Notes: The Bundesrat doesn't have terms, but the term of the Speaker is for one year, elected every year on 1 November

Immunity and code of conduct

Parliament’s authorization is required for the detention or prosecution of members
No
There is a Code of conduct for members
No

Salaries and allowances

Members are paid salaries by parliament
No
(2023)

Notes: Members of the Bundesrat don’t receive any salary for their mandate within the Bundesrat, but receive a salary from their functions as members of Laender governments.

Basic salary, per year
Click for historical data
Basic salary, per year in PPP
Click for historical data
Basic allowances
No information available
Names of the basic allowances
No information available
Attendance allowance
60 EUR
Attendance allowance in PPP
81
Periodicity of attendance allowance
Day
Members pay income tax on salaries
No
Members pay income tax on allowances
No
Members can have remunerated employment outside parliament
Yes
Members are required to declare income from other employment to parliament
Yes
Salary of the Speaker
12,276 EUR
Salary of the Speaker in PPP
16,657
The parliamentary salary is determined in reference to another salary scale
No
Reference scale used for parliamentary salaries
Click for historical data

Notes: The ordonnance-loi (Decree-law) regarding Referendum Act N°67-223 of 3 May 1967 recognized the right of all Congolese, irrespective of sex, to participate in the Constitutional referendum. The law on legislative and presidential elections of 17 April 1970 supported suffrage as granted in the Constitution and formally gave both men and women the right to vote.

Information on salaries and allowances on the parliamentary website
Year data was last reported
No information available
Facilities, services and allowances for constituency work
Personal staff to work directly for the parliamentarian
No
Office at parliament
Yes
Constituency office
No
Housing
No
Other cash or in-kind allowances for constituency work
No
Additional salaries and allowances for leadership positions
Additional salaries and allowances provided for leadership positions
No information available
List of salaries and allowances for leadership positions
Salary Allowances
Speaker Yes
No
Committee Chair

Participation in the government

Members of the government must also be members of parliament
Other

Notes: Members of the Executive can be members of the Bundestag but not of the Bundesrat, each of whose members must hold the office of minister or premier in one of the 16 German states.

Number of members of the parliament/chamber who are also members of the government
No information available
Percentage of members of parliament/chamber who are also members of the government
No information available

Historical data for IPU membership

Historical data for IPU membership
Year IPU membership
2020-09
List of values for 2020-09
No
2019-04
List of values for 2019-04
No
2018-06
List of values for 2018-06
No