Presidium of the Bundestag
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The Presidium of the Bundestag is responsible for the routine administration of the Bundestag, including its clerical and research activities. The presidium consists of the President of the Bundestag and a variable number of Vice Presidents, currently six.[1][2]
Composition
[edit]The presidium is elected by the Bundestag at its first meeting after an election; by tradition, the largest faction in the Bundestag has the right to nominate a candidate for the post of president. On the first two ballots, a nominee needs a majority of all Bundestag members in order to be elected; on the third ballot a plurality (more yes than no votes) is sufficient. The president's term ends with the end of the legislature, but they can be re-elected, as long as they are re-elected as member of the Bundestag.[3]
Besides the president, the presidium also includes a varying number of vice presidents, who are also elected at the first session of each legislative period. Since 1994, the Bundestag's standing rules have stated that the number of vice presidents must at least equal the number of factions, and give every faction the right to nominate one vice president. Nevertheless, like the president, each vice president has to be elected by a majority of the whole house on the first two or a plurality on the third ballot; this can result (and already has) in the outcome that the actual number of sitting vice presidents does not equal the number of factions, if a faction does not succeed in naming a candidate who is acceptable to at least the necessary majority. The Bundestag may decide to elect additional vice presidents. For example, in the 18th Bundestag (2013–2017), which only consisted of four factions, the two biggest factions (CDU/CSU and SPD) were each entitled to nominate a second vice president, as a presidium of only five persons was considered too small to fulfill its tasks.
The standing rules of the Bundestag also stipulate that in the event of the absence or vacancy of the entire Presidium, the President by right of age shall chair the session. Up to and including the 18th Bundestag (2013–2017), this was the oldest member; since the 19th Bundestag (2017–2021), it has been the longest-serving member of the Bundestag. This rule is of particular relevance in the first session of each legislative term until the election of the President. Apart from this, the oldest Member of Parliament has never had to preside over the Bundestag during a current legislative term (as of 2025).
1st Bundestag (1949−1953)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Erich Köhler Hermann Ehlers |
1949−1950 1950−1953 |
CDU/CSU CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Carlo Schmid Hermann Schäfer |
1949−1953 1949−1953 |
SPD FDP |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Paul Löbe | 1949–1953 | SPD |
Erich Köhler resigned as President of the Bundestag on 18 October 1950 in the wake of cross-party criticism of his conduct of office. Hermann Ehlers was elected as his successor on 19 October.
2nd Bundestag (1953−1957)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Hermann Ehlers Eugen Gerstenmaier |
1953−1954 1954−1957 |
CDU/CSU CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Carlo Schmid Richard Jaeger Ludwig Schneider Max Becker Ludwig Schneider |
1953−1957 1953−1957 1953−1956 1956−1957 1956−1957 |
SPD CDU/CSU FDP FDP FVP/DP |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Konrad Adenauer | 1953–1957 | CDU/CSU |
Konrad Adenauer refrained from presiding over the opening session due to his position as Chancellor. Therefore, the second oldest member, Marie Elisabeth Lüders (FDP, 1878–1966), presided over the opening session until the election of the president was concluded.
Hermann Ehlers died on 29 October 1954. On 16 November 1954, Eugen Gerstenmaier was elected to the vacant post.
3rd Bundestag (1957−1961)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Eugen Gerstenmaier | 1957−1961 | CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Carlo Schmid Richard Jaeger Max Becker Thomas Dehler Victor-Emanuel Preusker |
1957−1961 1957−1961 1957−1960 1960−1961 1958−1960 |
SPD CDU/CSU FDP FDP DP/FVP |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Konrad Adenauer | 1957–1961 | CDU/CSU |
Konrad Adenauer refrained from presiding over the opening session due to his position as Chancellor. Therefore, the second oldest member, Marie Elisabeth Lüders (FDP, 1878–1966), presided over the opening session until the election of the president was concluded.
4th Bundestag (1961−1965)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Eugen Gerstenmaier | 1961−1965 | CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Carlo Schmid Erwin Schoettle Richard Jaeger Thomas Dehler |
1961−1965 1961−1965 1961−1965 1961−1965 |
SPD SPD CDU/CSU FDP |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Konrad Adenauer | 1961–1965 | CDU/CSU |
Konrad Adenauer refrained from presiding over the opening session due to his position as Chancellor. Therefore, the second oldest member, Robert Pferdmenges (CDU/CSU, 1880–1962), presided over the opening session until the election of the president was concluded.
5th Bundestag (1965–1969)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Eugen Gerstenmaier Kai-Uwe von Hassel |
1965−1969 1969 |
CDU/CSU CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Carlo Schmid Karl Momper Erwin Schoettle Richard Jaeger Maria Probst Thomas Dehler Walter Scheel |
1965−1966 1966−1969 1965−1969 1965, 1967–1969 1965−1967 1965−1967 1967−1969 |
SPD SPD SPD CDU/CSU CDU/CSU FDP FDP |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Konrad Adenauer Arthur Enk |
1965–1967 1967–1969 |
CDU/CSU CDU/CSU |
6th Bundestag (1969−1972)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Kai-Uwe von Hassel | 1969−1972 | CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Carlo Schmid Hermann Schmitt-Vockenhausen Richard Jaeger Liselotte Funcke |
1969−1972 1969−1972 1969−1972 1969−1972 |
SPD SPD CDU/CSU FDP |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| William Borm | 1969–1972 | FDP |
7th Bundestag (1972−1976)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Annemarie Renger | 1972−1976 | SPD |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Hermann Schmitt-Vockenhausen Kai-Uwe von Hassel Richard Jaeger Liselotte Funcke |
1972−1976 1972−1976 1972−1976 1972−1976 |
SPD CDU/CSU CSU FDP |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Ludwig Erhard | 1972–1976 | CDU/CSU |
8th Bundestag (1976−1980)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Karl Carstens Richard Stücklen |
1976−1979 1979−1980 |
CDU/CSU CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Annemarie Renger Hermann Schmitt-Vockenhausen Georg Leber Richard Stücklen Richard von Weizsäcker Liselotte Funcke Richard Wurbs |
1976−1980 1976−1979 1979−1980 1976−1979 1979−1980 1976−1979 1979−1980 |
SPD SPD SPD CDU/CSU CDU/CSU FDP FDP |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Ludwig Erhard Johann Baptist Gradl |
1976–1977 1977–1990 |
CDU/CSU CDU/CSU |
9th Bundestag (1980−1983)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Richard Stücklen | 1980−1983 | CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Annemarie Renger Georg Leber Richard von Weizsäcker Heinrich Windelen Richard Wurbs |
1980−1983 1980−1983 1980−1981 1981−1983 1980−1983 |
SPD SPD CDU/CSU CDU/CSU FDP |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Herbert Wehner | 1980–1983 | SPD |
10th Bundestag (1983−1987)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Rainer Barzel Philipp Jenninger |
1983−1984 1984−1987 |
CDU/CSU CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Annemarie Renger Heinz Westphal Richard Stücklen Richard Wurbs Dieter-Julius Cronenberg |
1983−1987 1983−1987 1983−1987 1983−1984 1984−1987 |
SPD SPD CDU/CSU FDP FDP |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Egon Franke | 1983–1987 | SPD |
Egon Franke refrained from presiding over the opening session of the 10th Bundestag as he was under investigation for embezzlement at the time (he was later acquitted). The function was assumed by the next oldest member of parliament, Willy Brandt (SPD, 1913–1992).
11th Bundestag (1987−1990)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Philipp Jenninger Rita Süssmuth |
1987−1988 1988−1990 |
CDU/CSU CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Annemarie Renger Heinz Westphal Richard Stücklen Dieter-Julius Cronenberg |
1987−1990 1987−1990 1987−1990 1987−1990 |
SPD SPD CDU/CSU FDP |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Willy Brandt | 1987–1990 | SPD |
12th Bundestag (1990−1994)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Rita Süssmuth | 1990−1994 | CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Helmut Becker Renate Schmidt Hans Klein Dieter-Julius Cronenberg |
1990−1994 1990−1994 1990−1994 1990−1994 |
SPD SPD CDU/CSU FDP |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Willy Brandt Alfred Dregger |
1990–1992 1992–1994 |
SPD CDU/CSU |
13th Bundestag (1994−1998)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Rita Süssmuth | 1994−1998 | CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Hans-Ulrich Klose Hans Klein Michaela Geiger Burkhard Hirsch Antje Vollmer |
1994−1998 1994−1996 1997−1998 1994−1998 1995−1998 |
SPD CDU/CSU CDU/CSU FDP Alliance 90/The Greens |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Stefan Heym Alfred Dregger |
1994–1995 1995–1998 |
PDS CDU/CSU |
Hans Klein died on 26 November 1996. On 16 January 1997, Michaela Geiger was elected to the vacant post.
14th Bundestag (1998−2002)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Wolfgang Thierse | 1998−2002 | SPD |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Anke Fuchs Rudolf Seiters Hermann Otto Solms Antje Vollmer Petra Bläss |
1998−2002 1998−2002 1998−2002 1998−2002 1998−2002 |
SPD CDU/CSU FDP Alliance 90/The Greens PDS |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Fred Gebhardt Hans-Eberhard Urbaniak |
1998–2000 2000–2002 |
PDS SPD |
15th Bundestag (2002−2005)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Wolfgang Thierse | 2002−2005 | SPD |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Suzanne Kastner Norbert Lammert Hermann Otto Solms Antje Vollmer |
2002−2005 2002−2005 2002−2005 2002−2005 |
SPD CDU/CSU FDP Alliance 90/The Greens |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Otto Schily | 2002–2005 | SPD |
16th Bundestag (2005−2009)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Norbert Lammert | 2005−2009 | CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Suzanne Kastner Wolfgang Thierse Gerda Hasselfeldt Hermann Otto Solms Katrin Göring-Eckardt Petra Pau |
2005−2009 2005−2009 2005−2009 2005−2009 2005−2009 2006−2009 |
SPD SPD CDU/CSU FDP Alliance 90/The Greens The Left |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Otto Schily | 2005–2009 | SPD |
17th Bundestag (2009−2013)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Norbert Lammert | 2009−2013 | CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Gerda Hasselfeldt Eduard Oswald Wolfgang Thierse Hermann Otto Solms Katrin Göring-Eckardt Petra Pau |
2009−2011 2011−2013 2009−2013 2009−2013 2009−2013 2009−2013 |
CDU/CSU CDU/CSU SPD FDP Alliance 90/The Greens The Left |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Heinz Riesenhuber | 2009–2013 | CDU/CSU |
18th Bundestag (2013−2017)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Norbert Lammert | 2013−2017 | CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Johannes Singhammer Edelgard Bulmahn Petra Pau Claudia Roth Peter Hintze Michaela Noll Ulla Schmidt |
2013−2017 2013−2017 2013−2017 2013−2017 2013−2016 2017 2013−2017 |
CDU/CSU SPD The Left Alliance 90/The Greens CDU/CSU CDU/CDU SPD |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Heinz Riesenhuber Wolfgang Schäuble |
2013–2017 2017 |
CDU/CSU CDU/CSU |
The CDU/CSU Vice President Peter Hintze died on 26 November 2016. On 19 January 2017, Michaela Noll was elected to the vacant post.[4]
On 1 June 2017, the Bundestag changed its standing rules to the effect that the President by right of age is no longer the oldest member in terms of years of life, but the longest-serving member. At the time, this was Wolfgang Schäuble.
19th Bundestag (2017–2021)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Wolfgang Schäuble | 2017–2021 | CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Hans-Peter Friedrich Thomas Oppermann Dagmar Ziegler Wolfgang Kubicki Petra Pau Claudia Roth |
2017–2021 2017–2020 2020–2021 2017–2021 2017–2021 2017–2021 |
CDU/CSU SPD SPD FDP The Left Alliance 90/The Greens |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Wolfgang Schäuble | 2017–2021 | CDU/CSU |
Wolfgang Schäuble refrained from presiding over the opening session of the 19th Bundestag as he stood for election as president of the Bundestag and did not want to preside over his own election. The function was assumed by the next longest-serving member of parliament, Hermann Otto Solms (FDP, 1980–2013 and 2017–2021).
The SPD's Vice President Thomas Oppermann died on 25 October 2020, Dagmar Ziegler was elected to the vacant post.
The AfD was represented in the 19th Bundestag with faction status and had the right to nominate a vice president. However, during the entire legislative period none of the proposed candidates achieved the necessary majority.
20th Bundestag (2021–2025; outgoing)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| Bärbel Bas | 2021–2025 | SPD |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| Aydan Özoğuz Yvonne Magwas Claudia Roth Katrin Göring-Eckardt Wolfgang Kubicki Petra Pau |
2021–2025 2021–2025 2021 2021–2025 2021–2025 2021–2025 |
SPD CDU/CSU Alliance 90/The Greens Alliance 90/The Greens FDP The Left |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Wolfgang Schäuble Peter Ramsauer |
2021–2023 2023–2025 |
CDU/CSU CDU/CSU |
Claudia Roth resigned her post as vice president on 8 December 2021 upon entering office as State Minister and Federal Commissioner for Culture and the Media. Katrin Göring-Eckardt, who already had served as vice president in the 16th and 17th Bundestag, was elected to the post one day later, on 9 December 2021.
The AfD was represented in the 20th Bundestag with faction status and had the right to nominate a vice president. However, during the entire legislative period none of the proposed candidates achieved the necessary majority.
21st Bundestag (2025–; incoming)
[edit]| President | Period | Faction |
|---|---|---|
| TBD | 2025– | CDU/CSU |
| Vice President | Period | Faction |
| TBD TBD TBD TBD TBD |
2025– 2025– 2025– 2025– 2025– |
CDU/CSU AfD SPD Alliance 90/The Greens The Left |
| President by right of age | Period | Faction |
| Gregor Gysi | 2025– | The Left |
After emerging as the strongest force in the 2025 German federal election, the CDU/CSU will have the right to nominate a candidate for the office of President of the Bundestag. In accordance with the Rules of Procedure, all factions will be allowed to nominate a candidate for the office of Vice-President. The Bundestag may decide to elect further Vice-Presidents. No nominations have yet been announced.
References
[edit]- ^ "The Presidium of the German Bundestag". bundestag.de. Deutscher Bundestag. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
- ^ "Functions and duties of the President and Presidium of the German Bundestag". bundestag.de. Deutscher Bundestag. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
- ^ "Election of the Presidium". bundestag.de. Deutscher Bundestag. Retrieved 22 February 2020.
- ^ "Michaela Noll neue Vizepräsidentin im Bundestag". cdu.de (in German). CDU. 19 January 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2020.