Facts - The Bundestag at a glance - Deutscher Bundestag

Council of Elders
The Presidium is assisted in conducting
the business of Parliament by the
Council of Elders, the composition of
which reflects the relative numerical
strength of the parliamentary groups. Its
members need not be the oldest Members
of the House, but they are experienced
parliamentarians. The Council of
Elders, which is chaired by the President
of the Bundestag, comprises the
members of the Presidium and 23 other
Members. Its meetings are also attended
by a representative of the Federal Government.
The Council of Elders assists
the President of the Bundestag in the
performance of his or her duties and
The main organs of the Bundestag and other Bundestag bodies
takes decisions on the internal affairs of
the Bundestag, except where such matters
are reserved for the President or the
Presidium. In addition, it is the task of
the Council of Elders to deal with disputes
concerning the dignity and rights
of Parliament or the interpretation of
the Rules of Procedure and, if possible,
settle them.
The parliamentary groups
Parliamentary groups (Fraktionen) are
the political heart of the Bundestag.
Their size and composition mirrors
the results of the parliamentary elections.
The work of the Bundestag is
determined to a great extent by the
parliamentary groups. To form a group,
it is necessary to muster at least five
per cent of the Bundestag membership.
Groups have an important formal function,
since their relative strengths determine
the composition of the Council
of Elders and the parliamentary committees
as well as the allocation of
The chairs of the parliamentary
groups in the 17th electoral term:
Volker Kauder (CDU/CSU),
Frank-Walter Steinmeier (SPD),
Rainer Brüderle (FDP),
Gregor Gysi (The Left Party) and
co-chairs Renate Künast and
Jürgen Trittin (Alliance 90/The
Greens).