Modifikationen des deutschen Parlamentarismus Infolge des Europäischen Integrationsprozesses.

Abstract

Modifications of the German Parliamentarism as a consequence of the European Integration Process

This article deals with the Europeanization of the German parliament as a difficult process of finding a relationship between the German government (Bundesregierung), upper chamber (Bundesrat) and lower chamber (Bundestag) concerning the EU-related affairs. One of the results of the recent process of Europeanization is the lost of influence of parliaments in the EU member countries. The decision-making process within the Council of the EU can be hardly followed by parliaments and parliamentary committees. This leads to adaptation processes within the polities of EU member countries. This article follows the development of EC- and EU-related institutions and committees in both chambers of the German parliament as well as agreements and changes of the German constitutions adopted in order to assure that the parliament will not lose its influence in EU-related affairs. Considering the period from 1957 to 2006 the article concludes that there were differences between both chambers of the parliament in the way they tried to secure their interests. However both chambers partly lost their influence in the process of trying to secure their positions, changing their structures and negotiating new agreements.

Keywords: Europeanization, parliamentarism, Germany, Bundestag, Bundesrat, EUCommittee