Role and Work of the Rhineland-Palatinate State Parliament
The State Parliament of Rhineland-Palatinate is the state’s highest political decision-making body. Its 105 members are elected by the people every five years.
The State Parliament’s main roles include:
- debating on the various interests of the population
- electing the Minister-President and confirming the State Government
- exercising parliamentary control over government and the administration subordinate to it
- adopting the state budget and state legislation
The main areas in which the state can pass laws are:
- police
- education
- culture
- broadcasting
- local government law (municipalities, towns and districts)
- administrative organization
How the State Parliament works
Once a month, the State Parliament meets as a whole (in plenary sittings) for two or three days to debate and pass laws and motions, discuss current issues and address questions to the government.
The committees meet between the plenary sittings. They are small, specialized working bodies in which Members of Parliament carry out the detailed work and prepare recommendations for plenary sittings.
The Presidium and the Council of Elders are the State Parliament’s governing bodies. They prepare its work plan as well as the agenda and the schedule for plenary sittings.
Members of the same political party form parliamentary groups. These groups are the State Parliament’s political divisions. They coordinate the work of their members, enable them to specialize in specific policy areas, consolidate their views on issues addressed in the State Parliament into common positions and submit joint initiatives, motions and questions to parliament.