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Federal Convention (Germany) AI simulator
(@Federal Convention (Germany)_simulator)
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Federal Convention (Germany) AI simulator
(@Federal Convention (Germany)_simulator)
Federal Convention (Germany)
The Federal Convention, also known as the Federal Assembly (German: Bundesversammlung), is, together with the Joint Committee, one of two non-permanent constitutional bodies in the institutional framework of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is convened solely for the purpose of electing the President of Germany. The Federal Convention consists of all members of the federal parliament (Bundestag) and the same number of delegates from the 16 federated states. Those delegates are elected by the state parliaments for this purpose only.
Each Federal Convention is convened by the incumbent president of the Bundestag in due course. Normally, this takes place during the last months of a sitting president's current term of office. The Convention must meet no later than thirty days before the end of the term, with the state parliaments needing sufficient time between the convening and the meeting to elect state delegates.
If the term of office of a president ends prematurely through resignation, death or impeachment, the Federal Convention must meet within thirty days. This has happened three times so far (1969, 2010 and 2012); in 2010 and 2012, the president of the Bundestag convened the Assembly at the latest possible date. Heinrich Lübke's resignation (1968/69) is a special case: he announced in October 1968 that he would resign with effect from June 30, 1969, in order to enable the Federal Convention to be held before the start of the Bundestag election campaign in the fall of that year. Since the resignation was announced about nine months in advance, the Federal Convention could be held as usual before the (early) end of his term of office.
According to the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, the president is elected at the Federal Convention without a debate. The candidates are usually nominated by one or more parties but do not generally run a campaign. Each member of the Federal Convention may suggest candidates for the office of the Federal President. This means that not only parliamentary groups from the Bundestag can present a candidate but also small parties which may not be represented in the Bundestag. The Federal Convention is chaired by the president of the Bundestag (or one of the vice presidents, if the president stands as a candidate – as was the case with Karl Carstens in 1979).
The procedure of the election of the president consists of a maximum of three secret votes by written ballot. If one of the first two votes ends with an absolute majority for one of the candidates, this candidate is elected immediately. If the first two votes do not lead to an absolute majority, a plurality is sufficient on the third and final vote. The president of the Bundestag closes the session of the Federal Convention immediately, after the result is declared. Thus, the convention is irrevocably dissolved until it is reconvened for the next election. This means that even if the elected president does not accept the election, the convention cannot simply reconvene; rather, the president of the Bundestag has to convene a new convention, for which the state parliaments have to elect fresh delegates.
Normally, the new president takes office thirty days after the election at the earliest, as the term of office of the predecessor is still continuing. Only in the case of a vacancy (e.g. after the resignation of the predecessor, as happened in 2010 and 2012), the elected person takes office immediately upon acceptance of the election. Irrespective of this, a newly elected president does not take the oath of office before the Federal Convention, but after taking office in a joint session of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat.
The Federal Convention includes the entire membership of the Bundestag, and an equal number of state delegates elected by the state or 'Länder' parliaments specifically for this purpose, proportional to their population.
According to federal law, every member of a state parliament has one vote. The delegates are elected with lists and proportional vote. Some details are dealt with by the standing orders of the state parliament. In many state parliaments, the members vote on a joint list that mirrors the strengths of the parliamentary groups.
Federal Convention (Germany)
The Federal Convention, also known as the Federal Assembly (German: Bundesversammlung), is, together with the Joint Committee, one of two non-permanent constitutional bodies in the institutional framework of the Federal Republic of Germany. It is convened solely for the purpose of electing the President of Germany. The Federal Convention consists of all members of the federal parliament (Bundestag) and the same number of delegates from the 16 federated states. Those delegates are elected by the state parliaments for this purpose only.
Each Federal Convention is convened by the incumbent president of the Bundestag in due course. Normally, this takes place during the last months of a sitting president's current term of office. The Convention must meet no later than thirty days before the end of the term, with the state parliaments needing sufficient time between the convening and the meeting to elect state delegates.
If the term of office of a president ends prematurely through resignation, death or impeachment, the Federal Convention must meet within thirty days. This has happened three times so far (1969, 2010 and 2012); in 2010 and 2012, the president of the Bundestag convened the Assembly at the latest possible date. Heinrich Lübke's resignation (1968/69) is a special case: he announced in October 1968 that he would resign with effect from June 30, 1969, in order to enable the Federal Convention to be held before the start of the Bundestag election campaign in the fall of that year. Since the resignation was announced about nine months in advance, the Federal Convention could be held as usual before the (early) end of his term of office.
According to the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany, the president is elected at the Federal Convention without a debate. The candidates are usually nominated by one or more parties but do not generally run a campaign. Each member of the Federal Convention may suggest candidates for the office of the Federal President. This means that not only parliamentary groups from the Bundestag can present a candidate but also small parties which may not be represented in the Bundestag. The Federal Convention is chaired by the president of the Bundestag (or one of the vice presidents, if the president stands as a candidate – as was the case with Karl Carstens in 1979).
The procedure of the election of the president consists of a maximum of three secret votes by written ballot. If one of the first two votes ends with an absolute majority for one of the candidates, this candidate is elected immediately. If the first two votes do not lead to an absolute majority, a plurality is sufficient on the third and final vote. The president of the Bundestag closes the session of the Federal Convention immediately, after the result is declared. Thus, the convention is irrevocably dissolved until it is reconvened for the next election. This means that even if the elected president does not accept the election, the convention cannot simply reconvene; rather, the president of the Bundestag has to convene a new convention, for which the state parliaments have to elect fresh delegates.
Normally, the new president takes office thirty days after the election at the earliest, as the term of office of the predecessor is still continuing. Only in the case of a vacancy (e.g. after the resignation of the predecessor, as happened in 2010 and 2012), the elected person takes office immediately upon acceptance of the election. Irrespective of this, a newly elected president does not take the oath of office before the Federal Convention, but after taking office in a joint session of the Bundestag and the Bundesrat.
The Federal Convention includes the entire membership of the Bundestag, and an equal number of state delegates elected by the state or 'Länder' parliaments specifically for this purpose, proportional to their population.
According to federal law, every member of a state parliament has one vote. The delegates are elected with lists and proportional vote. Some details are dealt with by the standing orders of the state parliament. In many state parliaments, the members vote on a joint list that mirrors the strengths of the parliamentary groups.