No paradise of policy-making

Abstract

For the German Bundestag, observers and practitioners argue that committees are the place where policy is really made. Pointing to the highly differentiated and specialized committee system in an established parliament is a necessary first step, as opposed to looking for policy influence through plenary debates and votes alone. However, the mechanisms of committees’ policy influence remain largely in the shadows. One reason for that is that by default, the committees in the Bundestag hold their sessions closed to the public. Yet with growing demands for transparency, they have opened up their proceedings over the past decades; for example, by making their agendas and protocols available to the public, by holding public hearings, and by making many of their meetings accessible. Based on primary and secondary analysis, the chapter provides and overview of the institutions and practice of committee work in the Bundestag. It shows that committees are not the ‘paradise of policy-making’ but that they are highly relevant as they structure the division of labour and influence the separation of powers in the political system. The role of parliamentary party groups and the MPs as policy experts is highlighted, and committees fulfil an important role as testing ground for plenary debate.