Election results
Elections are defined as general, direct, free, equal and secret. They are conducted using a system similar to the one used everyLandtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (since 1990)
After the reunification of Germany on 3 October 1990 and the following re-establishment of the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the first state election took place on 14 October 1990. The Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern constituted itself for the first time on 26 October 1990, twelve days after the first state election and 23 days after the1st electoral term (1990–1994)
The first state election of the newly formed state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern took place on 14 October 1990. The first state government was a coalition of CDU and FDP led by2nd electoral term (1994–1998)
The3rd electoral term (1998–2002)
The4th electoral term (2002–2006)
The5th electoral term (2006–2011)
The6th electoral term (2011–2016)
The7th electoral term (2016–2021)
Following the state election on 4 September 2016, the seventh Landtag was constituted on 4 October 2016. After the election on September 4, 2016, and the changes until October 2019, the 71 seats in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament are distributed as follows: On 8 December 2016, the state parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern elected former Member of Parliament Heinz Müller as State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information for a five-year term on the proposal of the SPD parliamentary group. Müller prevailed over the former data protection commissioner of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and former Member of Parliament Karsten Neumann, who was proposed by the parliamentary group The Left. On 4 July 2017, the Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern elected8th electoral term (since 2021)
Following the state election on 26 September 2021, the eighth Landtag was constituted on 26 October 2021. After the election, the 79 seats in the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament are distributed as follows: Due to their electoral success, the SPD earned threeDuties and rights
Excerpts from the state constitution
As a site of political decision-making, theLegislative competence
Fields of law
The legislative competence of the Landtag lies mainly in the following areas: *adoption of the (state) budget law (art. 61ff Constitution of MV), so-called budget law *municipal law *cultural law, including school, broadcasting, monument protection and state-church law *state organization law, including electoral law, parliamentary law, constitutional jurisdiction, court of audit *police and public order law, including rescue services *road and street law As a result of the federalism reform, further legislative responsibilities have been shifted to the Länder. These include: *penal system *right of assembly *higher education law with the exception of university admissions and degrees *store closing laws *salaries, pensions and career law for state civil servants and judges *hunting law *nature conservation and landscape managementLegislative procedure
Bills may be introduced into the Landtag in three different ways, (Art. 55 (1) Constitution MV): *by the state government *from the midst of the Landtag - by a parliamentary group or by a number of Members at least equal to the parliamentary group strength *directly from the people (people'sElection of the Minister President
The Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern elects the Minister President by a majority of its Members in a secret ballot. The Minister President appoints and dismisses the ministers. Upon assuming office the Minister President and the ministers take the following oath before the Landtag: "I swear that I will devote my strength to the people and the country, uphold and defend the Basic Law for the Federal Republic of Germany and the Constitution of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern as well as the laws, fulfil my duties conscientiously, and do justice to everyone". The oath may be concluded with the religious affirmation "So help me God".Control of the state government
The state parliament has a far-reaching right to ask questions and to receive information of the state government. At the same time, the state government has a comprehensive duty to provide information to the Landtag (Articles 40 and 39 of the Constitution of the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). In addition, the Landtag may set up committees of inquiry with extensive rights to clarify facts in the public interest. In order to clarify facts in the public interest, the Landtag has the right, and at the request of a quarter of its Members the duty, to set up a parliamentary committee of inquiry (Article 34 of the Constitution of the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). In the committee of inquiry, the parliamentary groups are each represented by at least one Member. Beyond that, the seats are distributed according to the strength ratio of the parliamentary groups in order to ensure that the majority ratios in the committee of inquiry correspond to those in the state parliament. Citizens may at any time address suggestions, requests and complaints to the Landtag or its Petitions Committee (Article 35 of the Constitution of the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). In addition, the state parliament elects an ombudsman for a period of six years. The ombudsman supports citizens in safeguarding their rights vis-à-vis the state government and the public administration. He also advises and assists in social matters. The ombudsman is independent in the exercise of his office and bound only by the law.Members
Minimum number of Members
Article 20(2), second sentence, of the Constitution of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern prescribes a minimum number of 71 Members in the Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The minimum number of Members prescribed by the Constitution of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern can also be exceeded by so-called overhang and compensatory mandates.Free mandate
According to Article 22 (1) of the Constitution of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, the Members of the Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are bound neither to orders nor to instructions; one also speaks of the so-called free mandate.Official abbreviation
The official abbreviation for Members of the Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern is MdL (Mitglied des Landtages – Member of Parliament). More details on the rights of the (parliamentary) mandate regulates in particular Article 22 Constitution of the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern of 23 May 1993 (short: Verf. MV) and the Act on the Legal Status of the Members of the Parliament of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern – Members of the Landtag Act - in the version of the announcement of 1 February 2007.Remuneration of Members of Parliament
From January 2016 (GVOBl. M-V 2015, p. 627), Members of Parliament receive a taxable remuneration of €5,749.22 (Section 6 (1) of the Members of the Landtag Act). According to Section 9 (1) of the Members of the Landtag Act, each Member receives a monthly expense allowance of €1,339.43 . All expenses relating to the parliamentary mandate from expenditure incurred in connection with a constituency office to the cost of office materials and other expenses are to be met using this allowance. The President of the Landtag, the vice-presidents, the chairpersons and the parliamentary secretaries of the parliamentary groups receive an additional remuneration on account of their special parliamentary functions (Section 6(2) of the Members of the Landtag Act). For the President and the chairpersons of the parliamentary groups the additional remuneration is 100% of the basic remuneration, for the parliamentary secretaries 75%, and for the Vice-presidents 50% of the basic remuneration.Cross-border cooperation
The members of the Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern also act on the international stage. For example, they work closely with other countries in the Baltic Sea region in the Baltic Sea Parliamentary Conference. Special partnerships exist with the parliaments of the voivodeships of West Pomerania, Pomerania and Warmia-Masuria in Poland. The state parliament is also active in the Southern Baltic Sea Parliamentary Forum. In addition, the parliament has formed a German-Israeli Parliamentary Group and works as a cooperative member in the German-American Association of State Parliamentarians.Organs
Plenum
The plenum, i.e. the full assembly of all Members of Parliament, is the highest decision-making body of the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament.President of the Landtag
After the election, the Landtag elects the President of the Landtag as well as the Presidium in the constituent sitting. The President shall conduct the business of the Landtag, represent the Land in all legal transactions and litigations of the Landtag. He shall uphold the dignity and rights of the Landtag, further its work and conduct its debates fairly and impartially. The President exercises domestic authority and the power of order in the Landtag. The President of the Landtag is the former Minister Birgit Hesse (SPD). Her deputies are the Vice Presidents.President by right of age (Alterspräsident)
According to the Rules of Procedure of the Landtag, the oldest member of the Landtag opens the first sitting of the newly elected Landtag. The so-called Alterspräsident presides over the session until the newly elected president or one of his or her deputies takes office. The President by right of age appoints two members of the Landtag as provisional secretaries and forms a provisional presidium with them.Council of Elders
The Council of Elders: *supports the President of the Landtag in the performance of her duties *discusses the draft agenda for the Landtag sittings *discusses all fundamental decisions concerning the Members and the working and administrative procedures in the parliament The Council of Elders of the Landtag consists of the President of the Landtag, the two vice-presidents and one representative of each of the parliamentary groups, generally the Parliamentary Secretary. "A government representative shall be called to meetings of the Council of Elders that prepare plenary sittings" (§ 5 para. 2 of the Rules of Procedure of the 8th Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern). The composition of the Council of Elders of the eighth electoral term: * Birgit Hesse – President of the Landtag * Beate Schlupp - 1st Vice-president * Elke-Annette Schmidt - 2nd Vice-president * Philipp da Cunha - Parliamentary Secretary of the SPD parliamentary group * Sebastian Ehlers - Parliamentary Secretary of the CDU parliamentary group * Thore Stein - Parliamentary Secretary of the AfD parliamentary group * Torsten Koplin - Parliamentary Secretary of The Left parliamentary group * Constanze Oehlrich - Parliamentary Secretary of the Alliance 90/The Greens parliamentary group * David Wulff - Parliamentary Secretary of the FDP parliamentary groupParliamentary groups
Parliamentary groups in the Landtag of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are, according to Article 25 (2) of the Constitution of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, independent and autonomous branches of the state parliament. They participate with their own rights and duties in the parliamentary decision-making process. Details are regulated in the Rules of Procedure of the Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern of the eighth electoral term in §§ 37 ff. Further regulations on the legal status of the parliamentary groups are set out in the Members of the Landtag Act in the version of the announcement of 1 February 2007 in §§ 50 - 57. In the (current) 8th electoral term, there are six parliamentary groups.Committees
Standing committees
The Landtag of the eighth electoral term has formed the following (Standing) Committees (Art. 33 (1) VerfMV in conjunction with § 9 (1) sentence 1 of the Rules of Procedure of the Landtag of the 8th electoral term): *Petitions Committee *Committee on Internal Affairs, Building and Digitalization (Committee on Internal Affairs) *Committee on Justice, Equality, Constitution, Rules of Procedure, Election Scrutiny, Immunity Matters (Legal Affairs Committee) *Finance Committee *Committee on Economic Affairs, Infrastructure, Energy, Tourism and Labour (Economic Committee) *Committee on Climate Change Mitigation, Agriculture and the Environment (Agriculture Committee) *Committee on Education and Child Care (Education Committee) *Committee for Social Affairs, Health and Sports (Social Committee) *Committee on Science, Culture, Affairs of the European Union and International Affairs (Science and European Affairs Committee)Non-standing committees
Pursuant to Section 9 (3) of the Rules of Procedure of the Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern (eighth electoral term), the Landtag may establish additional committees for further issues. These are also referred to as non-standing committees and include special committees and committees of inquiry.= Subcommittees
= According to Section 25 (1) of the Rules of Procedure of the Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern of the eighth electoral term, a committee may establish subcommittees to deal with urgent, indispensable tasks that cannot be dealt with in any other way. On 8 March 2017, the Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern decided to investigate activities of the NSU (National Socialist Underground) in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. To complete the task, the Committee on Internal Affairs and Europe was asked to set up a subcommittee. The subcommittee is to report to the Committee on Internal Affairs and Europe by the summer break of 2019.= Special committees
= In the fourth electoral term (2002-2006), the Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern set up a special committee on "Administrative modernization and functional reform" chaired by MP Heinz Müller (SPD).= Committees of inquiry
= The possibility of establishing committees of inquiry is separately enshrined in the constitution of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The Landtag has the right and duty to set up a committee of inquiry by resolution at the request of one-fifth of its Members (Article 34) (1) sentence 1 of the Constitution of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern In the 7th electoral term, adopting a motion of the AfD parliamentary group, a committee of inquiry was established "to clarify the funding structure, the funding procedure and the funding practices for grants from state funds, as well as the use of these state funds by the umbrella organizations united in the association, 'League of leading Associations of Voluntary Welfare Work in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern' between 2010 and 2016". In the 35th plenary session on 26 April 2018, with the adoption of the motion of the parliamentary groups of the SPD, CDU, The Left and BMV, a committee of inquiry was established to investigate the NSU activities in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.Enquete Commission
Based on the Enquete Commission Act of July 9, 2002, the Landtag has the right to set up Enquete Commissions. These commissions are composed of experts and Members, whereby the Members must represent the majority (§ 2 paragraph 2 sentence 2 EKG M-V). Sittings of the Enquete Commission are open to the public. In the seventh electoral term, at its 89th session on 14 May 2020, the Landtag decided to set up an Enquete Commission with 21 members on the topic 'The future of medical care in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern'.Administration
General
The administration of the Landtag is a supreme state authority. It reports to the President of the Landtag and is headed by the Landtag's Secretary-General as the President's permanent representative in administrative matters. The staff of the Administration prepares the sittings of the Landtag and its committees and assists the President in her administrative duties. In addition, the Administration is available to all Members of Parliament in the performance of their duties. The Ombudsman of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and the State Commissioner for Data Protection are under the supervision of the President. The administration of the Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern trains trainees of various professional groups and is an assignment site for graduates of the voluntary social year in democracy or in the preservation of monuments.List of Secretary-Generals at the Mecklenburg-Vorpommern state parliament
Public relations
Attending a plenary sitting
The visit of a plenary sitting is possible for individual visitors and registered groups. The main aim is to give an impression of the atmosphere of the debates in the Landtag. If desired, the visitors' service can arrange for a conversation with Members of Parliament. As the number of seats in the visitors' gallery is limited, it is recommended that you register with the visitors' service in good time.Information events
Information programmes about the tasks and working methods of the Landtag are offered on working days when there are no plenary sittings. They provide in-depth information about the activities of the Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. If desired, the visitors' service of the Landtag can arrange for a conversation with Members of Parliament.Pupils' Parliament Project
This offer is aimed specifically at school classes from the 9th grade. During the three-hour simulation game, the young people can experience parliamentary procedures - such as tabling a resolution recommendation, finding opinions in committees, debating in the plenum and voting. The topic for debate can be chosen from a range of topics from the Visitors' Service or arranged individually. This project takes place in the conference rooms and in the plenary hall.Youth in Parliament
"Youth in Parliament" is a cooperation project of the Landtag and the Landesjugendring (State Youth Ring) Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and takes place every one and a half years. With this project, the Landtag and the Landesjugendring strive to create proximity between politics and youth and want to promote political education in the place of work of the Members of Parliament. In workshops and communication rounds, the young people develop own positions on topics such as leisure, environment, education or youth association work. Around 100 young people between 15 and 25 from Mecklenburg-Vorpommern can take part in the project. In 2011, after the elections to the sixth Landtag, the follow-up project "Youth aks questions" took place as an opportunity for dialogue between young people and the Members of Parliament of the new electoral term.Live broadcast of the plenary sitting
The plenary sittings are broadcast on the Internet by means of a webcam. Interested parties can follow the sittings of the parliament on the website of the Landtag. The recordings are published on the video platform YouTube.Parliamentary News
Another way to inform about current debates and events in the Landtag is the magazine Parliamentary News (LandtagsNachrichten). The 24-page magazine is published nine times a year and can be subscribed to free of charge upon request from the publisher. An archive of previously published issues is available in the media library on the website.Official seat
From grand ducal residence to parliamentary seat
For about 1000 years, the castle island has been the political centre of power of the country. The Slavic princeParliamentary seat from 1990
Restoration of the castle and use of the interior rooms
The restoration works on Schwerin Castle began in the 1970s and were intensified from 1990 when the state parliament moved into the castle. The façades in particular were restored. The work of the Landtag places special demands on the historic building. The rooms must be usable for the state parliament without damaging the monument. Installations and changes are usually carried out according to modern requirements, so that future generations can also read the changes in use. An example of this is the room of the Council of Elders. With the restoration of the column capitals, the stucco on the ceiling and the restoration of the valuable inlaid floor, this room was lavishly restored. In addition to the parliamentary group rooms and deliberation rooms, there is an office for all MPs. Most parliamentarians share an office with a colleague. In addition to Schwerin Castle, the Landtag uses additional buildings in Schwerin for the offices of the administration of the Landtag, the Land Ombudsman and the State Commissioner for Data Protection.New plenary hall
Reconstruction
The new plenary hall is located on the site of the former Golden Hall, which covered an area of 283 square metres in the Castle Garden Wing. In the GDR, the castle was the seat of a pedagogical school for nursery school teachers, and the hall was largely unused. A total of 26 million euros of investment was budgeted for the castle garden wing, seven million of which for the plenary hall. Ten million euros were planned for repairing the late effects of the castle fire in 1913 and the renovation of the castle garden wing as a whole. Four million euros have been earmarked for further renovation work, such as converting the old plenary hall into conference rooms, and a further 4.3 million euros will serve as a buffer for unforeseeable costs. The conversion according to the plans of the architect's office Dannheimer & Joos was finally completed in September 2017.Time and cost increases
On 30 June 2016, it was announced that the planned completion had been delayed by five months.The reason for the delay in construction was said to be the insolvency of a planning company involved in the construction. On 14 December 2016, it was informed that the construction costs for the conversion would increase from 27 million euros to an expected 30 million euros. Contributory factors to the cost increase was the construction boom with the associated rising prices as well as the old building fabric. Due to the cost increase, the conversion of the old plenary hall into a modern congress centre was abandoned.= Inauguration of the new plenary hall
= On 26 September 2017, the new plenary hall of the Landtag Mecklenburg-Vorpommern was inaugurated with a festive event after a five-year construction period. In addition to the Members of Parliament of the current electoral term, former Members of Parliament and State Ministers also attended. The ceremonial speeches were held by the President of the German Bundestag,External links
References
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