englischPublic hearings provide a glimpse behind the, often, closed doors of the Bundestag’s committees. At the same time, their usefulness is viewed quite critically in parts of political science research literature as well as in practice itself. This study shows which functions public hearings [...]

englischOpposition parties in minority governments are partly responsible for government stability without being able to neglect their accountability to the electorate, a dilemma that, as this book shows, has many electoral as well as policy advantages for opposition parties. This book’s analysis of [...]

englischWhat understanding of parliamentarianism acts as the premise for the Federal Constitutional Court when it strengthens the rights of the Bundestag? This study offers a systematic review of case law on the subjects of parliamentary law, the German military’s foreign missions and voting law. It [...]

englischDue to the increasing shift in political decision-making from national parliaments to international organisations, the rise of international government is often assumed to be accompanied by the decline of national parliaments. As a reaction, several international organisations have [...]

englischThe fact that politics has become a profession is inferred in the theoretical part of this work and substantiated in the empirical part with extensive data. Within its institutional framework, political professionalisation has led to the social figure of the professional politician. From the [...]

englischThis study is the first to systematically examine the leaders of the parliamentary party factions in the German Bundestag. Relying on interviews with office holders, further members of the executive boards and backbenchers, it firstly highlights their challenging and complex role within [...]

englischExercising control over the government and administrative bodies is a quintessential function of parliaments. But what does parliamentary control mean? How does it take place? How do the majority and the opposition take part in it? And do its mechanisms change? These questions are the focus [...]

englischThis study aims to analyse parliamentary handling of information and the problems connected with it, which in turn enables it to evaluate the functionality of the parliamentary system. It adopts a political and sociological perspective that understands politics as a process of social [...]

englischThis study analyses deliberation and negotiation processes in the European Parliament and focuses on the decision makers. How do parliamentarians from different nations and parties reach a mutual decision? The study compares parliamentary negotiation processes in committee debates and [...]

englischThe Members of the European Parliament are often ignored by citizens and media. Their work is perceived as being far away from the citizens, as just another part of the opaque institutions of the European Union.

Just as far away seems to be the national level, which the European [...]