How Is the Government Formed?
Berlin’s state government is the Senate. It consists of the Governing Mayor and ten senators. Every five years, a new Senate is formed.
During coalition negotiations, the parliamentary groups agree on common political goals, the distribution of government portfolios and the budget. Afterwards, the members of the Berlin House of Representatives elect the Governing Mayor by secret ballot. The elected head of the city then appoints the senators.
Before taking office, the members of the Senate must swear an oath. By doing so, they commit themselves to the German Basic Law, the Constitution of Berlin and the welfare of the general public.
Why Are Majorities Formed in the House of Representatives?
Majorities are needed in Berlin’s House of Representatives (Abgeordnetenhaus, AGH) in order to make decisions and govern the city. For most laws and budget decisions, a simple majority is sufficient. This means that more members vote in favour than against. For particularly important decisions, such as amendments to the Constitution of Berlin, a two-thirds majority is required.
Since individual parties usually do not win an absolute majority in elections to the House of Representatives, they often form a coalition. During negotiations, they agree on common political objectives and set them down in a coalition agreement. This agreement forms the basis of their cooperation throughout the legislative term.
During the negotiations, the participating parties often have to make compromises. In return, the coalition commits itself to jointly supporting the measures agreed upon in the coalition agreement in the House of Representatives, so that laws and other political measures can be adopted with the required majority.
What Are Coalition Negotiations?
In order to govern successfully, the Berlin Senate needs a majority in the House of Representatives. Since individual parties usually do not achieve a majority on their own, they form a coalition. During coalition negotiations, they agree on a joint government programme, which forms the basis of their cooperation.
Before the actual coalition negotiations begin, the parties first hold exploratory talks to determine whether there is sufficient common ground for cooperation. During the subsequent coalition negotiations, they negotiate various policy areas such as finance, education, transport and housing. To do so, they establish working groups in which politicians and experts jointly develop solutions. They also decide which party will be responsible for which government portfolio.
The results of the negotiations are recorded in a written coalition agreement. In most cases, the members of the participating parties vote on the negotiated agreement at party conferences or through membership ballots. Once all parties have approved the agreement, it is signed. The House of Representatives then elects the Governing Mayor.
Here you can find the Berlin Wiki page of Berliner Morgenpost.
(Header image: © FUNKE Foto Services | Reto Klar)
