Berlin's New House of Representatives Holds Its First Session

Nearly six weeks after the state election, the Berlin House of Representatives is meeting for its constitutive session on 29 October, starting at 10:00. The session is being opened in the traditional manner by the oldest member of parliament, known as the Alterspräsident — a role filled, as it was in the previous legislative term, by CDU politician Kurt Wansner, who is 78 years old.

The central item of the session is the election of the parliamentary president. Die Linke, as the largest faction, holds the right of nomination and has put forward long-serving lawmaker Hendrikje Klein, who is expected to secure a broad majority. If elected, Klein would become the first Die Linke politician ever to hold the office.

Under parliamentary rules, the two vice-presidential posts are nominated by the second- and third-largest factions — CDU and AfD respectively. The CDU has proposed Cornelia Seibeld, the outgoing parliamentary president, who is also expected to win a majority in the vote. The AfD's nominee, Martin Trefzer, faces a different prospect: Die Linke, CDU, the Greens and the SPD have all indicated they do not intend to vote for him.