Page:The Bonn Constitution (Basic Law FRG 1949).pdf/24

 THE BUNDESRAT

The Laender shall participate through the medium of the Bundesrat in the legislation and the administration of the Federation.

(1) The Bundesrat shall consist of members of the Governments of the Laender which shall appoint and recall them. They may be represented by other members of their Governments.

(2) Each Land shall have at least three votes; Laender with more than two million inhabitants shall have four, Laender with more than six million inhabitants shall have five votes.

(3) Every Land may delegate as many members as it has votes. The votes of each Land may be given only as a block vote and only by members present or their representatives.

(1) The Bundesrat shall elect its President for one year.

(2) The President shall convene the Bundesrat. He must convene it if the representatives of at least two Laender or the Federal Government so demand.

(3) The Bundesrat shall take its decisions with at least the majority of its votes. It shall draw up its Standing Orders (Rules of Procedure). It shall meet in public. The public may be excluded.

(4) Other members or representatives of the Governments of the Laender may belong to the committees of the Bundesrat.

The members of the Federal Government shall have the right, and on demand the obligation, to participate in the debates of the Rh