Organising for Parliament
The Council of Elders is made up of the President, the Vice Presidents and further Members nominated by the parliamentary groups. They are not necessarily the oldest Members of the Bürgerschaft, however. Instead the parliamentary groups nominate experienced parliamentarians from among their ranks. As a rule they are the leaders and parliamentary business managers of the parliamentary groups or Members with other prominent roles.
Responsibilities
A meeting of the Council of Elders can be called by the President or at the request of a parliamentary group. It is chaired by the President. The Council of Elders assists the President in the performance of her duties and regulates parliamentary work in particular. This is where Members make known their parliamentary groups’ wishes about the day-to-day running of Parliament.
The Council of Elders has the job of getting the parliamentary groups to agree on the agenda and order of business for Bürgerschaft sittings and the parliamentary work programme. The Council also advises the President on personnel and budgetary matters and on issues affecting all parliamentary groups. The Council of Elders meets in private.