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Bundesrat

The German Bundesrat (literally "Federal Council), or upper house of parliament, is a legislative body that represents the 16 federal states of Germany at the national level.

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All Content on this topic

Berlin Moves to Allow Referendums

Berlin’s governing Social Democratic-Green coalition has agreed to present, for a second time, changes to the German constitution, paving the way for a possible vote on the Constitution.
October 26, 2004

Upper House Rejects Daycare Bill

September 24, 2004

Upper House Passes Labor Reform, Immigration Laws

The last meeting before the summer break of the German parliament's upper house, the Bundesrat, is taking place on Friday. Members have passed laws on labor reform and immigration.
July 9, 2004

Upper House Approves Pension Tax Plan

June 11, 2004

German Parliament Passes 2004 Budget

February 13, 2004

Chicken In The Upper House

Cab colors, chicken and cheeky sports stars: Germany’s upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat, took a breather from tackling large reform plans Friday and dealt with a range of rather obscure issues instead.
November 28, 2003

Cream-Colored Cabs Soon a Thing of the Past?

All German taxis have been cream-colored for more than two decades. But that uniformity could change if Germany's upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat, votes in favor of lifting the color restrictions on Friday.
November 27, 2003

Germany's Reform by Committee

The nature of Germany’s federal system often requires legislation to be approved by the country’s 16 states, which means the fate of Chancellor Schröder’s key welfare and economic reforms will be decided in a committee.
November 16, 2003

Is the Party Over for Germany’s Little Monaco?

The German village of Norderfriedrichskoog is an unlikely branch of the tax haven club which includes Monaco and Bermuda. But the party could soon be over if the finance ministry closes the village’s tax loophole.
November 9, 2003

Merkel: Bundesrat Legislates Too Much

September 1, 2003

Reforming German Federalism

German lawmakers are considering a major revamp of the country's federal system that could give the states more legislative power, but would make it harder for them to block federal issues.
August 27, 2003

Plugging the Holes in Germany's Tax Laws

The German cabinet on Wednesday will decide whether to close a number of tax loopholes that cost the government billions of euros a year. But the measures may not pass the opposition-controlled upper house of parliament.
August 13, 2003

Second Run for Germany's Immigration Bill

The German government's controversial proposals on immigration and integration are back -- and unchanged. But the opposition to them is unchanged, too.
March 14, 2003

Schröder Faces Possible Setbacks In State Votes

Voters in two German states will be choosing new government leaders on Sunday. Their decision is also a referendum on Chancellor Gerhard Schröder.
February 1, 2003

Accord Reached on Aspect of Labor Reform

Despite a compromise in the conciliation committee on changes in the low-pay job sector, paving the way for Bundesrat approval on Friday, several central aspects of the the government's labor reforms remain unresolved.
December 18, 2002

Schröder Presents 'Blueprint' for Labor Reform

The chancellor told Germany’s parliament on Thursday that he has a "blueprint" for reforming the country’s tangled labor market. But differences are emerging before the ink is even dry.
July 4, 2002

Immigration Bill Heads To Germany's Highest Court

Before Germany’s immigration law can go into effect, the Federal Constitutional Court must verify the legality of the legislative process leading up to the signing of the bill. Here's a look at what comes next.
June 23, 2002

No Guns or Computer Violence for Kids

Germany has tightened its gun laws and put restrictions on violent computer games. The move comes two months after a school shooting in the eastern town of Erfurt that left 17 dead.
June 21, 2002

Disputed Immigration Law Heating Up Again

German President Johannes Rau is meeting with leaders in Brandenburg Tuesday to investigate conflicting votes cast in a controversial immigration measure. The bill could be headed for a constitutional challenge.
June 11, 2002

"How Can We Trust You Politicians?"

As if the winter weather and high unemployment wasn’t bad enough: Germans have had to put up with an unusually large amount of partisan bickering and political sleaze recently.
March 29, 2002

Showdown in Constitutional Court?

Germany's immigration bill may have squeaked past the upper house in a controversial vote on Friday, but its fate is far from sealed as opposition conservatives threaten to drag the issue to the country's highest court.
March 24, 2002