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The Federal Council

On April 24th, 2025, WIB‘s group „Politics and History“ visited the Federal Council (Bundesrat), which is one of the five permanent constitutional bodies of the German federal system. It consists of all 16 Federal States bridging their specific regional perspectives with the Federal Government and the Parliament.

Not just the Federal Government and the Parliament, but also the Federal Council can put forward legislative initiatives. Draft bills from the Government and the Parliament must also be discussed and consented/objected by it. Altogether there are 69 votes in total. Each Federal State has 3-6 votes according to its size of population. Each Federal State can only exercise its votes unanimously.

The history of the building:
- 1904 establishment of the Prussian House of Lords till 1918, as Prussian State Council 1921-33
- Used by Hermann Göring as the Prussian House 1933-45.
- The building was partially destroyed by the WWII.
- After the war GDR used it for the Academy of Sciences and the State Planning Commission.
- Finally it was thoroughly renovated by the reunited Germany as the Federal Council from 2000 onwards.

The visit provided the group with valuable insights into the functioning of the Federal Council and its significant role in Germany’s federal legislative process.