The Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia

Transcription

1 The Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia 5/2014 All you want to know about the Landtag, find it inside.

2 Contents 2 Landtag NRW 3 Foreword 4-5 Who created the Landtag? 6-7 Where is the Landtag located? 8-9 Who elects the Landtag? Who sits in the Landtag? What are the tasks of the Landtag? Frequently asked questions What does the word. mean? Impressum Publisher: Die Präsidentin des Landtags NRW Platz des Landtags Düsseldorf (=ordering address) @landtag.nrw.de Written/edited by: Dorothea Dietsch, Subject area: Youth and Parliament (Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia) dorothea.dietsch@landtag.nrw.de Translated by: Michaela Dienhart Photos by: Bernd Schälte, Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia Layout by: SO! Design, Bergisch Gladbach

3 Dear young people, Are you not interested in politics or politicians? As President of the State Parliament (Landtag), I experience every day that the opposite is the case. Young people, just like you, come with a class, a youth group, or family to visit the Landtag. They get informed, they discuss, and reflect on what they would change if they were a politician. I am glad to see this. Frequently I am asked: 3 Landtag NRW What are the tasks of the Landtag? Who created the Landtag? Who elects the Landtag? How are laws made? Why should I care about politics? President of the State Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia, Carina Gödecke On the following pages, we would like to answer these questions and invite you to get to know the Landtag even better. On the website (available in German only) you can find more information. To become a Member of Parliament and be entitled to vote (German citizens only) you must be 18 years old. Now you can get informed, involved in politics and share your views. I am looking forward to your concerns, criticisms, questions, or praise. Yours,

4 Who created the Landtag? 4 Landtag NRW The word Parliament derived from the French word (parlement= discussion, parler= speak). The State Parliament is called Landtag. Why Landtag? Men and women (elected by the people) come together on a given day (Tag) in order to make decisions for the state (Land). The British created the state and the Landtag of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW). The province between the Rhine and Weser was occupied by the British after the Second World War. They appointed 200 people as Members of Parliament convening for the first time on 2 October The British also decided that Düsseldorf should be the capital of the state of North Rhine-Westphalia. In the meantime, the Landtag has existed over 60 years. Most of the Members of the Landtag were not even alive when the Landtag was born. Approximately 2,000 Members of Parliament have been elected to the Parliament since. North Rhine-Westphalia has a population of about 18 million. NRW is the most populated federal state in Germany.

5 Here is the Landtag NRW. 5 Landtag NRW q NRW is the most populated federal state, with a population of about 18 million. This is the coat of arms of North Rhine-Westphalia. It shows the different parts of the state. The river to the left represents the Rhine; thus called, the Rhineland. The Westphalian horse represents Westphalia. The rose of Lippe is the symbol of Lippe. Düsseldorf is the capital of NRW. The Landtag NRW has existed over 60 years.

6 Where is the Landtag located? 6 Landtag NRW Today s House of the Landtag NRW was formally inaugurated on 2 October It is located next to the Rhine River in Düsseldorf. About 750 people work in this building: the Members of Parliament and their employees, and the administration of the Landtag. They assist Members, prepare sessions, take minutes (transcripts), inform Members by means of the archives and the library, and ensure that the computers function properly. The employees of the five parliamentary groups (see page 10) also work in this building. The building of the Landtag is circular. It symbolizes the round table discussions of the politicians; an example, is a plenary session.

7 Head of the Landtag is the President of the State Parliament, Carina Gödecke. On a proposal of the SPD, she was elected President of the State Parliament. She chairs sessions and rotates with the Vice-Presidents: Eckhard Uhlenberg (CDU), Oliver Keymis (Alliance 90/The Greens), Dr. Gerhard Papke (FDP), and Daniel Düngel (Pirates). Although they are members of a parliamentary party, they are supposed to act above party lines and treat all Members of Parliament equally. Vice-President Eckhard Uhlenberg (CDU) and the other members of the presidium visit schools regularly. 7 Landtag NRW Each of them often receives visits from youth to senior citizen groups, business representatives, and associations as well as international politicians and the media. They often travel across the entire state, and they are invited to many important meetings. Oliver Keymis (Alliance 90/The Greens, left) meets the French Ambassador, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne. Vice-President Dr. Gerhard Papke (FDP) with young people at the NRW-Day in Siegen. By the way, the term Landtag has two meanings: it refers to the building (the Landtag is located next to the Rhine) and to the political organisation (the Landtag is elected for five years). Carina Gödecke (SPD) is with the musician Peter Maffay in the Landtag. Vice-President Daniel Düngel (centre) has a conversation with fellow members of the Family, Children, and Youth Committee.

8 Who elects the Landtag? 8 Landtag NRW Landtag elections are normally held every five years. If you are 18, a German national, and a resident of North Rhine-Westphalia for at least 16 days, then you are eligible to vote for your Member of Parliament! If you reside at least three months in NRW, you are allowed to stand as a candidate at the Landtag elections. There are two ways to receive a seat in the Landtag. One, you are directly-elected; meaning that you won the most votes in your constituency or, two, you can enter the Parliament through the parties Land list. In each constituency of the state is the simple majority enough to win. The candidate with the largest number of votes in a constituency is elected, even if there is only a difference by one vote. In case of a tie vote (an equal number of votes), the winner is determined by lot. The polling station is at a place that you know well, an elementary school, a town hall, or a community centre. On the ballot paper, you are only allowed to mark one cross in each column; otherwise, it is invalid.

9 The Members of Parliament are elected in general, secret, equal, direct, and free elections. The election is general. This means that all eligible voters are entitled to vote in the election. 9 Landtag NRW The election is secret. You don t cast a vote in public, but inside a polling booth. Nobody can see how you voted in the election. The polling station recorded that you took part in the election, but only you know where you mark your cross inside the polling booth. On election night (May 2012), people and journalists went to the Landtag in order to get the election results. The election is equal. All votes have an equivalent weight. It doesn t matter if you are a man or a woman, poor or rich. The election is direct. The candidates are directly-elected by the voters. An intermediate body does not exist. The election is free. You make your decision on your own. Pressuring you to vote in a certain manner is not allowed. If you don t like the work of a politician, you can vote for someone else in the next election. There are two votes in the Landtag elections, just like the Bundestag elections. The first vote is for a person that stands as a candidate in your constituency, and the second vote is for a party.

10 Who sits in the Landtag? 10 Landtag NRW Every five years the electorate can decide who represents them in the Parliament. However, many people choose not to vote. For example, on 13 May 2012, the voter turnout was only 59%. 22 seats On 13 May 2012, 237 Members of Parliament were elected into the Landtag. The Members of Parliament form so-called parliamentary groups. These groups are made up of Members that belong to the same party. Here are the results of the previous election: SPD: 39,1 % FDP: 8,6 % CDU: 26,3 % Pirates: 7,8 % The Greens: 11,3 % Others: 2,9 % Others : A party is considered as others if the party receives less than 5% of the votes. Only parties that surpass the 5% threshold are represented in the Landtag. No party received enough votes to govern alone. In order to be able to govern alone, you have to get more than 50% of the seats. If this is not the case, a partner has to be found. Therefore, parties form coalitions. 67 seats The word coalition means a group of people, alliance. All of us form many coalitions in our lifetime. An example is, on the school yard, in the class room, in the sports club. The SPD formed a coalition with the parliamentary group of The Greens.

11 A = President B = Government C = Administration D = Members acting as Secretaries E = State Court of Auditors F = Stenographer G = Speaker 1 seat Independent, member does not belong to a parliamentary group Chairman of the SPD parliamentary group: Norbert Römer 11 Landtag NRW 19 seats Chairman of the CDU parliamentary group: Armin Laschet Chairman of The Greens parliamentary group: Reiner Priggen 99 seats Chairman of the FDP parliamentary group: Christian Lindner 29 seats Chairman of the Pirates parliamentary group: Joachim Paul

12 What are the tasks of the Landtag? 12 Landtag NRW 1. Voting Members of Parliament are elected, but they also cast votes in the Landtag. For example, they elect the President of State Parliament and the Prime Minister. Before the Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hannelore Kraft, took office in 2012 for another term, she was sworn in by the President of the State Parliament, Carina Gödecke. Plenary chamber is known as the chamber in the Landtag where the Members of Parliament meet for plenary session. Secret matters are not discussed in the plenary chamber as visitors and journalists are present at all times. The spoken word is written down, published within transcripts, and videotaped.

13 2. Making laws Many issues are regulated by law, so that everyone follows the same rules. It provides information on what is allowed and what is not allowed. Whether it is about schools, police, or kindergarten, many decisions are reached here that concern specifically the people in NRW. The Members of Parliament mostly vote, by show of hands. Members of Parliament decide on the revenues and expenditures of the state, discuss political issues, and control the Government. 13 Landtag NRW The Landtag is active in the policy areas of police, schools, universities, transportation, radio/television, and many others. For example, the Landtag discusses the promotion of climate protection and animal welfare in North Rhine-Westphalia.

14 14 Landtag NRW It takes many months before a law is passed. It is thoroughly deliberated in the expert committees and plenary sessions, and in the parliamentary/working groups. Also parties, interest groups, organisations, and associations, outside the Landtag, deal with the proposed legislation. The plenary (see previous page) in the Parliament is the place where the views are brought together and where the final decisions are made. Laws are newly-proposed or amended. For example, there is an amendment to the School Act almost every year.

15 3. Controlling Members of Parliament control the State Government and the administration of the state. For example, by submitting questions or Committees of Investigation. 15 Landtag NRW 4. Debating Debating, deliberating, and deciding. The Members have to raise their hands (just like at school) if they would like to say something in the Landtag. If someone wants to take the floor, the Member has to wait until the President calls up the Member. If Members rant or constantly interrupt, the President is using the bell in order to restore silence during the session. Lawmaking is very complicated. For example, if new legislation on construction is proposed, the financial, ecological, technical, and legal effects have to be considered. The President has the bell handy at all times.

16 Frequently asked questions 16 Landtag NRW Why is the Landtag called Landtag? The term Landtag originated in the Late Middle Ages and the Early Modern Age. At that time, all political authorized groups and people convened on one day in order to negotiate and decide on common issues of the peasants. That s why, the name Land-Tag (state-day). Why are politicians often on television? Television stations report on all the latest information to the viewer; for example, a new law. The politicians, that drafted the law, give a press conference, invite the media, and explain the law to the people. Today, it is still considered Landtag when the representatives of one state come together. One day is not enough in order to discuss all issues; therefore, they meet quite frequently. The house where they meet is also called Landtag. Why are there different parties? Most of the people have a certain view. People that share like-minded political views form a group. In fact, together they are able to accomplish more. These groups are called parties. What is the meaning of politics? Over 2,000 years ago, the Greeks had the idea that the people should have the right to have a say in their city. The Greeks defined the city as polis. Out of the term polis developed the term politics. Are Members allowed to sit wherever they want in the Landtag? There are assigned seats in the plenary chamber of the Landtag, just like in a class at school. The President sits in the front, higher than the others. This shows how important he/she is. Members of Parliament always sit together with the other Members of their party. How much do politicians earn? The salary of the Members of Parliament is called diets, although most of the politicians at the Landtag are not even overweight. Members of Parliament in North Rhine-Westphalia earn about 11,000 Euros per month. The work of the Members is not limited to the Landtag, they also have to take care of the residents in the cities of the constituency. The money has to be taxed, parts of it goes to the retirement provision.

17 Is the Council of Elders composed of grandmas and grandpas? No, they are not necessarily the oldest Members. Instead they are the President, the Vice-Presidents, the Chairmen, and the Whips of the parliamentary groups. The Council of Elders must have lots of experience and have to ensure that the business of the Landtag runs as usual. Democracy cannot be taken for granted. Democracy lives of participation. Your view is important! The Landtag can be contacted in the following ways: ➊ You can contact the Member of Parliament of your city or region with your concerns. Members that live close to you also hold so-called surgeries. Here they meet residents face-to-face in the constituency. You can find their names on our website under Abgeordnete (available in German only). In the parliamentary groups, there are Members that are in charge of youth policy. They are called Spokesperson on Youth Policy. You can send them an . You can also contact the Committee on Petitions of the Landtag by post. Petition means request and the Committee on Petitions serves as a complaint box for the public. Everyone has the right to submit requests and complaints to the Committee on Petitions. It doesn t matter if you are young or old, foreign national or German, in groups, or by yourself. Address: Petitionsausschuss, Platz des Landtags 1, Düsseldorf You are invited to visit the Landtag. The best way is in a class or in a group. Approximately 70,000 people visit the Landtag annually. When are you coming? 17 Landtag NRW

18 18 Landtag NRW What does the word. mean? Absolute majority More than half of the Members. These are at least 119 out of 237 Members of the Landtag NRW. For example, the absolute majority is required for electing the Prime Minister in the first round of voting. Amendment to an act Amendments are changes and supplements to an existing law. Basic Law The Basic Law is the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany. It was approved on 8 May The articles define the state system and fundamental value decisions. Budget All revenues and expenses of the state within one year, subdivided in sections of the budget (i.e. budget of the Ministry of Justice). Bundestag The Bundestag is located in Berlin and is the Federal Parliament of Germany. The Members of Parliament are elected every four years. Cabinet A cabinet includes all ministers of a government. The chair in NRW holds the Head of Government, who is currently, Prime Minister Hannelore Kraft. Coalition Parties who form alliances in order to get a majority in the Parliament and govern together. Committee Members of Parliament form expert groups in order to work on certain policy issues as for example the School Committee or the Transportation Committee. Committee of Investigation An instrument that controls the Government. Committees of Investigation offer the Parliament the possibility to investigate facts themselves and question witnesses. Constituent session The newly-elected Landtag NRW is assembled for the first session at the latest on the 20th day after the election. The Landtag constitutes itself. Debate A debate is an exchange of views in the Parliament where Members discuss a certain topic of the agenda. Democracy The Greek word democracy means rule of the people. The residents of NRW can express their political will through elections, popular initiatives, and referendums. Division of powers There is the legislative power (legislative), the executive power (executive), and the jurisdiction (judiciary). Legislation is enacted by the people and the Parliament. The executive is in the hands of the State Government and the municipalities. The jurisdiction is carried out by independent judges. European Parliament The European Parliament (EP) is composed of representatives of the EU member states. It is made up of 766 Members that are elected for five years ( ). 99 Members come from Germany (19 from NRW). European Union The European Union (EU) has 28 member states. Federalism Organisation of a state that consists of federal states. The federal republic is divided into federal states (Länder) such as North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria or Saxony, and city-states such as Berlin or Hamburg. The federal states and the city-states make up the federation. Federal republic The Federal Republic of Germany consists of 16 federal states; one of them is North Rhine-Westphalia. Each state has a parliament, a government, and an independent judiciary. Fundamental rights Fundamental rights grant protection. A constitutional complaint can be filed against the violation of a fundamental right (i.e. freedom of faith, freedom of expression, freedom of assembly, freedom of movement). Government policy statement At the beginning of the term, the Prime Minister presents the policies for the parliamentary term to the Parliament and the public. The members of State Government are also allowed to make government policy statements on important political questions during the parliamentary term. Immunity Members of Parliament are granted certain protective privileges. For example, only in certain circumstances can a Member get arrested. Legislation Seven Members, a parliamentary group, or the State Government are allowed to table a bill. Bills are justified during the first reading. After that, the bill is referred to the (expert) committees for further deliberation. Bills are deliberated in detail during the second reading. Amendments to the Constitution or the Budget Act have to be debated in three readings. Mandate The term derives from Latin and means authorization to act. The principles of a free mandate define that Members of Parliament are primarily representatives of the people and not a constituency, a party, or a population group.

19 Members of Parliament Members of Parliament of the Landtag (most of the time members of a party) are elected by the electorate. Minister A member of the Government and head of a ministry. A ministry is in charge of a certain policy area (i.e. finance, environment, school). Opposition Parties that do not govern. These are the parliamentary groups of the CDU, FDP, and the Pirates (since May 2012) in the Landtag. Governing parties are the SPD and Alliance 90/The Greens. Parliament The Parliament is the representation of the people. The Bundestag is the Federal Parliament. The Landtag NRW is the State Parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia. Parliamentary groups Parliamentary groups are groups of Members of Parliament. Generally, members of the same party come together as parliamentary group. Parliamentary term The Landtag NRW is elected for a period of five years. An exception to this rule is the dissolution of the Landtag. Then, elections have to be held within 60 days. Party Parties are organisations of people that share common political views and interests. Parties have to follow democratic principles. Petitions Everyone has the right to submit a petition (request or complaint) to the Landtag NRW. The Committee on Petitions deliberates on these issues. Plenary chamber The plenary chamber is the place where all Members of Parliament meet for plenary session. Popular initiative and referendum Besides elections, popular initiatives and referendums are further ways to participate in the legislative process. The signatures of 8% of voters in NRW (about a million citizens) are required for a popular initiative. A referendum is held if the Landtag does not accede to the public initiative. President of the State Parliament (Landtag) The President of the State Parliament is the highest representative of the Landtag. For the duration of the parliamentary term, he or she represents the Landtag externally, manages the Landtag, chairs plenary sessions, and heads the administration of the Landtag. Prime Minister The Head of Government is elected by the Landtag. He/she appoints and dismisses the Ministers and decides on the course of policies. Right to vote Everyone who is 18 on Election Day and is a resident of NRW for at least 16 days has the right to vote for a Member of Parliament. If you want to stand as a candidate at the Landtag elections, you have to be a resident of NRW for at least three months. State The state of North Rhine-Westphalia was created in August This has been established according to the statutory order of the British military administration out of the northern part of the Prussian Rhine province and the province of Westphalia. Later on, Lippe became part of the state. The capital of NRW is Düsseldorf. NRW has a population of about 18 million, making it the most populated state of the federal republic. The state covers an area of more than 34,000 square kilometres. State governed by the rule of law The rights of citizens are protected by law. The public authority is limited by law within a state governed by the rule of law. Regulatory actions can be reviewed by independent courts. State Government The State Government is made up of the Prime Minister and the Ministers. The Prime Minister decides on the course of policies. The Ministers are in charge of their portfolio and carry the responsibility. Stenographer A person who writes down every word during plenary sessions. The word for word reports of plenary sessions of the Landtag NRW are published as transcripts and can be read online ( Vote A vote is carried out by show of hands, by standing, or the Hammelsprung. In that case, Members of Parliament enter the plenary chamber through the doors that are labelled as Yes, No, and Abstention. Secret ballots exist as well. 5% threshold A party is only represented in the Parliament if the party reaches at least 5% of the votes unless a direct mandate was granted by the people. This is supposed to prevent a fragmentation of the Parliament. 19 Landtag NRW

20 Would you like to know more? We would like to inspire you for politics! For that reason, we would be very glad if you stop by on the website of the Landtag NRW. Here you can find a lot of information and background reports on political issues, sign up for a free subscription to the Landtag Journal Landtag intern, and read the youth site: LANDTAG NRW Landtag Nordrhein-Westfalen Platz des Landtags Düsseldorf