Parliament of Hamburg
| Hamburg Parliament Hamburgische Bürgerschaft |
|
|---|---|
 |
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| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
|
Carola Veit, SPD
Since 23 March 2011 |
|
| Structure | |
| Seats | 121 |
 |
|
|
Political groups
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Opposition Parties (49)
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| Elections | |
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Last election
|
15 February 2015 |
| Meeting place | |
 |
|
| Hamburg Rathaus | |
| Website | |
| www |
|
Government (72)
Opposition Parties (49)
The Hamburg Parliament (German: Hamburgische Bürgerschaft; literally the Hamburg citizenry) is the unicameral legislature of the German state of Hamburg according to the constitution of Hamburg. As of 2011 there were 121 members in the parliament, representing a relatively equal amount of constituencies. The parliament is situated in the city hall Hamburg Rathaus and part of the Government of Hamburg.
The parliament is among other things responsible for the law, the election of the Erster Bürgermeister (First Mayor) for the election period and the control of the Senate (cabinet).
The President of the Hamburg Parliament is the highest official person of the Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg.
The 121 members are elected in universal, direct, free, equal and secret elections every five years.
Bürgerschaft (literally citizenry) is a term in use since the Middle Ages to refer to the male inhabitants of Hamburg with citizenship. A committee of the landowning class within the city, called Erbgesessene Bürgerschaft (literally about citizenry seated on heritable plots), was formed out of this group in the 15th century to consult with the city's ruling councillors (Ratsherren; later called following the Roman example the Senate of Hamburg and senators), and to be consulted by them.
The city council, in early times supposedly elected by male citizens, had turned into an autocratic body restaffing its vacancies by coöptation. The system of coöptating seats was prone to corruption and it came to several major struggles in the following decades. The first relevant document organising power and tasks of citizenry and the city council (government), which was traditionally dominated by the local merchants, dates back to 1410 and is named Erster Rezess (roughly: The first Settlement, literally the agreement reached before parting [Lat. recedere] of the negotiating partners).
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Wikipedia