Article 39: [Electoral term - Convening] 1. Save the following provisions, the Bundestag shall be elected for four years. Its
term shall end when a new Bundestag convenes. New elections shall be held no
sooner than forty-six months and no later than forty-eight months after the
electoral term begins. If the Bundestag is dissolved, new elections shall be held
within sixty days.
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Scheduling of elections
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Head of government term length
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Term length for first chamber
2. The Bundestag shall convene no later than the thirtieth day after the elections.
3. The Bundestag shall determine when its sessions shall be adjourned and
resumed. The President of the Bundestag may convene it at an earlier date. He
shall be obliged to do so if one third of the Members, the Federal President or
the Federal Chancellor so demand.
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Extraordinary legislative sessions
Article 40: [Presidency - Rules of procedure] 1. The Bundestag shall elect its President, Vice-Presidents and secretaries. It shall
adopt rules of procedure.
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Leader of first chamber
2. The President shall exercise proprietary and police powers in the Bundestag
building. No search or seizure may take place on the premises of the Bundestag
without his permission.
Article 41: [Scrutiny of elections] 1. Scrutiny of elections shall be the responsibility of the Bundestag. It shall also
decide whether a Member has lost his seat.
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Removal of individual legislators
2. Complaints against such decisions of the Bundestag may be lodged with the
Federal Constitutional Court.
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Constitutional court powers
3. Details shall be regulated by a federal law.
Article 42: [Public sittings - Majority decisions] 1. Sittings of the Bundestag shall be public. On the motion of one tenth of its
Members, or on the motion of the Federal Government, the public may be
excluded by a two-thirds majority. The motion shall be voted upon at a sitting
not open to the public.
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Public or private sessions
