Opening of Parliament

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An opening of parliament in many countries of the world a ceremony in which each new legislature - and / or session of the Parliament will be formally opened.

Germany

history

A national, all-German parliament first existed in Germany in 1848 with the Frankfurt National Assembly . The first meeting took place on May 18th. The day before, the elected had already met in Frankfurt's Römer and agreed that Friedrich Lang should be the senior president (although he was not the oldest of them). The first session, which can be called the constituent meeting, was chaotic, partly because the senior president was overwhelmed. But on the following day Heinrich von Gagern was elected President of the National Assembly, and very soon routine forms of work developed.

At that time, not only were provisional rules of procedure adopted and a president elected; the deputies were also assigned to so-called departments by lot. These departments were purely technical in nature and had nothing to do with political groups. Among other things, these were used for electoral testing and related questions about the status of MPs. It was comparable to the Erfurt Union Parliament .

The North German Confederation as a federal state was created with a constitutional agreement of the allied governments on the one hand and a constituent Reichstag on the other. This Reichstag was not yet a parliament, but it was already very similar to the ordinary Reichstag elected later. The deputies met for an opening session on February 24, 1867 in the royal palace . The first meeting on the following day was then a constituent meeting. However, it took several days for preliminary rules of procedure to be adopted (those of the Prussian House of Representatives ), for departments to be formed, for the election test to be taken, and for a president to be elected. The president, Eduard von Simson , then took over the election of the vice-presidents.

The custom of reception in the castle was retained in the Empire and abolished in the Weimar Republic . The day of Potsdam on March 21, 1933 in the Potsdam Garrison Church was a reminiscence of the old custom. The constituent meeting took place on the same day in the Kroll Opera House in Berlin because the Reichstag building had burned down. The previous President Hermann Göring opened the meeting and was elected President after a proposal by a National Socialist MP.

The constituent session of the Bundestag on September 7, 1949 went off quickly. After a speech by the senior president Paul Löbe and the call for names including the determination of the quorum, the President of the Bundestag Köhler was elected. In an intergroup meeting previously it had been agreed that the two vice-presidents would be elected by acclamation (here: standing up of the MPs). After the secretaries had been appointed, the Bundestag was constituted. Köhler gave a speech, had the Bundestag vote (negative) on Ollenhauer's motion for dismantling, and closed the session. It had lasted from 4:05 p.m. to 6:18 p.m.

Bundestag today

The Bundestag of the Federal Republic of Germany does not have any session periods between the electoral periods, which are set to four years by the Basic Law , with which, for example, annual parliamentary openings would be necessary. During the legislative periods, however, the German Bundestag takes annual summer and Christmas breaks. The Bundestag is opened once every four years in the form of a constituent meeting , in each case within 30 days of the Bundestag elections .

The constituent meeting is prepared by the Pre-Elders' Council, which, among other things, regulates the seating arrangements in the Bundestag. This constituent session, the opening of parliament, is formally convened by the Bundestag President of the previous legislative period and chaired at the beginning by the senior Bundestag member present, the senior president of the German Bundestag, who gives a keynote address in this context and appoints provisional secretaries . The appointment of the members of the Bundestag by name is followed by the election of the new Bundestag President. After his election, the latter takes over the chairmanship of the meeting and gives an inaugural political speech. During the constituent meeting, the deputies of the President of the Bundestag are elected, secretaries are appointed and the House's rules of procedure , with amendments if necessary, are adopted. It is not intended that the German national anthem will be sung. The terms of office of the previous Federal Chancellor and the rest of the Federal Government also end with the constituent meeting, but they remain in office until a new Federal Government is formed.

The Federal President , as head of state , is not involved in the opening of the Bundestag per se, but hands over the members of the previous federal government their dismissal certificates on the day of the constituent session. The constituent session of the Bundestag is followed by the first session of the Bundestag in the new legislative period, during which the Federal Chancellor is usually elected.

Austria

Emperor Franz Joseph I opened in the ceremonial hall of the Hofburg the Imperial Council , 1879

In Austria, the newly elected National Council is convened by the Federal President within thirty days after the National Council elections. The President of the National Council of the previous legislative term presides over the opening of parliament in the Vienna Parliament Building , who initially appoints temporary secretaries. Subsequently, the Members of Parliament are in a swearing-in oath to her five-year term. For this purpose, the swearing-in formula is read out by the secretary, which each council member confirms with the words “I vow” after calling up his name. This is followed by the election of the new President of the National Council and his deputy, who then takes over the chairmanship of the meeting. The main committee , the standing subcommittee and the secretaries are then elected. The National Council usually meets annually for at least two months in the spring session and for at least four months in the autumn session, unless special sessions are convened.

Switzerland

In Switzerland, the parliament, the National Council , is elected for four years. Throughout the year, the National Council meets for four ordinary sessions of three weeks each: beginning of March (spring session), beginning of June (summer session), end of September (autumn session) and beginning of December (winter session), and, if necessary, for extraordinary sessions. At the beginning of a legislative period, usually every four years, the opening of parliament in the Bundeshaus in Bern is initially chaired by the senior president, who, like the youngest member of the National Council, gives a keynote address. The new President of the National Council is then elected, who then takes over the chairmanship of the meeting. However, the President of the National Council is re-elected annually in the winter session during the legislative period. The members of the National Council are then sworn in on the Swiss constitution . To do this, they have the choice between an oath and a vow, both of which are spoken one after the other in the four national languages ​​of Switzerland by the Secretary General of the National Council and by each member of the National Council with the sentence "I swear" (oath) or "I pledge it." "(Oath) in the respective mother tongue (German, French, Italian or Romansh) in the group. The constitution of the new National Council is thus established. The Swiss national anthem is sung at the end. The opening of parliament is usually preceded by an ecumenical service. The most recent opening of the National Council for its 50th legislature took place on November 30, 2015.

Commonwealth

Opening of Parliament in New Zealand in 1950 with staff of office-support (Engl. Mace-bearer )

The State Opening of Parliament is particularly important in the Commonwealth of Nations . In the UK , the British Parliament in is Westminster after each general election (every four years as a rule) and in the meantime for each session usually annually by the British monarch inaugurated as head of state during a ceremonial opening of Parliament in London, a strict court etiquette follows , see below. The monarch reads out a government statement drawn up by the British government . Also in the regional parliaments of Scotland and Wales there are parliamentary openings in the presence of the British monarch, see below. In the Commonwealth Realms , the parliamentary openings are usually opened by representatives of the British monarch, e.g. the governor general . In Australia, for example, the Governor General of Australia reads out a government statement drawn up by the Australian government on behalf of the British monarch at the opening of parliament in the Parliament of Canberra .

Faroe Islands

Traditionally, the parliament of the Faroe Islands , the Løgting , is officially opened on the Faroese national holiday Ólavsøka on July 29th. For this purpose, parliamentarians, ministers, clergy and officials gather in front of the parliament building and march in a solemn procession from Niels Finsens gøta to Tórshavner cathedral . After the service, the procession returns to Løgting, where the Løgmaður (Prime Minister) opens Parliament with a speech on the State of the Union .

Great Britain

King Edward VIII , uncle of Elizabeth II, at the opening of Parliament in London in 1936

United Kingdom

The State Opening of Parliament in London has been a solemn ceremony since the 16th century , at which each new session of the British Parliament ( Parliament of Great Britain ) is formally opened in London. The pompous ceremony of the opening of parliament was only revived by Edward VII after his mother, Queen Victoria , usually had a Lord Chancellor represent her at the opening of parliament, which she regarded as the "state theater" . The opening of Parliament, determined according to the British court ceremony , which has existed in its current form since the reconstruction of the Parliament building in 1834, takes place in the Council Chamber of the House of Lords ( Lords Chamber ) in London, before the first session after the general election and up to and including 2009 - during the respective legislative periods basically once a year in November or December, until the next elections. Since the opening of parliament on November 18, 2009, the date has been postponed to May after a change in the law for the following years. After the general election on May 6, 2010 , parliament was opened in 2010 on May 25. At the end of 2010, the Cameron I cabinet announced that there would be no annual parliamentary opening in 2011 due to a planned postponement of the date of the general election - for the first time in 150 years. The session of parliament therefore lasted from May 2010 to Easter 2012. The amendment to the Fixed-term Parliaments Act 2011 , according to which parliamentary elections are to be held every five years in May, came into force at the end of 2011. In 1974, due to two nationwide elections, two parliamentary openings took place in the same year. The opening of parliament in 2014 was held on June 4, 2014. The date for the opening of parliament in 2015 was set for May 27 of the same year, about three weeks after the general election .

Before the actual ceremony, there is a ceremonial search of the basement of the Palace of Westminster by the Yeomen of the Guard . This is done in memory of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605. At that time, the Catholic English tried unsuccessfully to use gunpowder stored in the cellar vaults to blow up Parliament and in the process to kill the Protestant king and the aristocracy. The protocol provides for the following procedure for the opening of Parliament: The monarch , accompanied by the Royal Consort , drives the Irish State Coach carriage (since 2014: Diamond Jubilee State Coach) from Buckingham Palace to the Parliament building and enters it through the “Sovereign's Entrance” ( entrance to the Sovereign ). The Imperial State Crown is driven in its own carriage from the Tower of London , where it is kept in the Jewel House , together with the Great Sword of State and the velvet beret ( Cap of Maintenance ) as royal insignia to Parliament. After the monarch has put on the royal robes ( ermine cloak and purple velvet train) and the crown in the "Robing Room" , he goes through the Royal Gallery, where several hundred invited guests sit, to the Lords Chamber, where the members of the House of Lords are gathered, including representatives of the British judiciary and invited members of the international diplomatic corps , and sit on the throne . He now asks the Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod to lead the members of the House of Commons into the Lords Chamber. Tradition has it that a member of the House of Commons must be held hostage at Buckingham Palace while the monarch is in Parliament; this is to ensure safe return. When the "Black Rod" approaches the door to the House of Commons, it is slammed before his eyes. The "Black Rod" knocks three times on the door with his black staff (hence the name). From the other side the question comes up: “Who is there?” ( Who is there? ), Whereupon he answers with “Black Rod”. He then announces that the monarch wishes to see the MPs. It is common for one or two longtime MPs to try and heckle the Black Rod. The Labor MP Dennis Skinner (* 1932) has been known for his provocative heckling since at least the 1980s. This ritual is intended to show that the lower house is completely independent of the head of state . No British monarch has entered the House of Commons ("Commons Chamber") since 1642. At that time Charles I tried to arrest five MPs for high treason . The speaker at the time refused to disclose their whereabouts. This was one of the reasons for the outbreak of the English Civil War . The members of the House of Commons finally go to the House of Lords, where some of them - including the Speaker, the Prime Minister, the Cabinet members, i.e. the British Executive , and also the Black Rod - bow to the monarch in front of the barrier in the back of the Lords Chamber and stop while the rest of the MPs wait in front of the door for lack of space. The British legislature is symbolically represented in one room through the gathering of the Lords and Commons . The monarch now reads a prepared speech, the so-called throne speech , from a scroll that is presented to him by the Lord Chancellor. The speech, which was kept secret until this event and which contains the government program for the following year, is not written by the monarch, but by the ruling party in the lower house. After the speech the monarch leaves the Lords Chamber via the Royal Gallery, the deputies bow again and return to the “Commons Chamber”. The Lords remain in the hall. Having cast off the crown and royal robes, the monarch returns to Buckingham Palace in his carriage, and the 'hostage' waiting there is released. The crown is brought back to the tower by carriage with sword and beret cap. The monarch's speech will then be debated in both the upper and lower houses .

Since her accession to the throne in 1952, the reigning British Queen Elizabeth II - with the exception of 1959 and 1963, in which she was represented by Lords Commissioners due to her pregnancies with Prince Andrew and Prince Edward - has been accompanied by her husband, the Prince Consort Prince Philip , every new session of Parliament opened. As of 2013, Prince Charles , for whom a separate throne was available to the right of the monarch, had accompanied his parents to the opening of Parliament a total of 18 times: in the 1980s and 1990s and most recently in 1996 with his then wife Diana and then again in 2013 with his second wife Camilla . Since 2014 the Prince of Wales and his wife have been driving the Irish State Coach carriage. For the first time in Elizabeth II's term in office, her speech was written by a coalition government in 2010 . From 1945 onwards, either the Conservatives or Labor had always ruled the UK alone. Since 2017, Prince Charles has sat on the throne next to his mother instead of his father at the opening of Parliament after Prince Philip retired from public life that same year. In 2017, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Charles drove to the opening of Parliament in a car instead of a carriage and wore festive private clothes instead of royal robes because the preparation time was allegedly too short. In 2019, Queen Elizabeth II chose a diadem as her headdress while the heavy Imperial State Crown rested on a pillow next to her.

Openings of Parliament in London since 1997

  • October 14, 2019; June 21, 2017; May 18, 2016; May 27, 2015; June 4, 2014; May 8, 2013; May 9, 2012; no opening of parliament in 2011; May 25, 2010 (after the general election on May 6, 2010); November 18, 2009; December 3, 2008; November 6, 2007; November 15, 2006; May 17, 2005 (after the general election on May 5, 2005); November 23, 2004; November 26, 2003; November 13, 2002; June 20, 2001 (after the general election on June 7, 2001); December 6, 2000; November 17, 1999; November 24, 1998; May 14, 1997

Scotland

The beginnings of a parliament in Scotland go back to the beginning of the 13th century. With the Act of Union 1707 , however, both the English and Scottish parliaments in Edinburgh were dissolved as part of the Treaty of Union and the establishment of the Kingdom of Great Britain . In their place came the British Parliament, based in Westminster. It was not until 1998 that the Scotland Act laid the foundations for a partially independent Scottish Parliament . The newly elected parliament was constituted for the first time on May 12, 1999 in the assembly hall of the Church of Scotland in Edinburgh and was inaugurated in the presence of the British Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip and Prince Charles . Since then the parliament has been opened in 2003, 2007, 2011 and 2016. In contrast to Westminster, there are no annual openings. On October 9, 2004, the newly built parliament building in Holyrood was officially opened by Elizabeth II. Before the actual opening of parliament after the Scottish parliamentary elections, the British monarch drives in a state coach from Holyrood Palace along the Royal Mile to the parliament building, flanked by honor guards, the gun salutes. In Parliament itself, the mace is carried into the building. The sounds of fanfare include the Lord Lyon King of Arms with his guard in historical uniform, the civilly clad British monarch (previously Elizabeth II), who is preceded by the Scottish crown by the Duke of Hamilton , the President of Parliament (English presiding officer ) and other politicians, officials and dignitaries in a solemn procession into the parliament building. The monarch reads out an opening speech, which, however, is not a programmatic government speech like in Westminster. Further speeches and possibly other program items will follow. The monarch finally leaves the parliament hall with the dignitaries and the crown. The opening of parliament's centuries-old, proven since 1520 tradition was riding (literally riding ) revived. In addition, in a pageant-like procession march with over 1000 participants from all parts of Scotland, selected citizens, clubs, celebrities, athletes, standard-bearers etc. with the members of parliament through the old town of Edinburgh to Holyrood. The British monarch rides in a carriage, accompanied by his cavalry guard.

Openings of Parliament in Edinburgh since 1999

Before 1999, the Scottish Parliament met for the last time on March 25, 1707.

  • July 2, 2016; July 1, 2011; June 30, 2007; June 3, 2003; July 1, 1999

Wales

The mace in the National Assembly for Wales

Since 1998, through the Government of Wales Act in Wales Cardiff , the Welsh Assembly as a regional parliament, consisting of only 60 deputies. Parliamentary elections have been held every four years since 1999. These elections are followed by the ceremonial opening of the National Assembly - in the Senedd Parliament, built in 2006 since 2007 - in the presence of the British monarch (since then Elizabeth II). The plainly dressed monarch drives along Cardiff Bay in front of the Senedd, where he is greeted by the Lord Lieutenant in Wales and Chairman of the Senedd. This is followed by the British national anthem and Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau . Before the royal procession, the mace is carried into the parliament hall. Speeches by the monarch and Welsh politicians, including in Welsh , are held in the hall itself . Led by the Wales Herald Extraordinary , a royal herald in uniform, the monarch leaves the House of Parliament. So far, Elizabeth II has been accompanied by Prince Philip and Prince Charles at every opening of Parliament in Wales and, since 2005, his second wife, the Duchess of Cornwall . Prince Charles has made his speeches in Welsh in the past as the reigning Prince of Wales on these occasions . In contrast to Westminster and similar to Edinburgh, the monarch in Cardiff is considered an invited guest at the opening of Parliament. He is therefore not giving a programmatic speech by the local government.

Openings of Parliament in Cardiff since 1999

  • June 7, 2011; June 5, 2007; June 5, 2003; May 26, 1999

Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland had its own parliament in Belfast from 1921 to 1972 during the times of Home Rule , until it was dissolved in 1973 during the times of the Northern Ireland conflict and a direct rule of Northern Ireland was introduced by the parliament in Westminster. The first solemn opening of parliament in 1921 took place on June 22nd by King George V in Belfast City Hall , as the actual parliament building was not completed until 1932. The opening ceremony was similar to that in Westminster. In the years that followed, the British Monarch's Deputy in Northern Ireland, the Governor General of Northern Ireland, opened Parliament. From 1973 onwards, the British government made numerous attempts to establish a Northern Ireland Assembly in Belfast. It was not until 1998 that the current form of this assembly was established with 108 members. Queen Elizabeth II has visited the Northern Ireland Assembly House twice, in 2002 and 2005, but not as part of the opening of Parliament. In 2007 the assembly was opened - after its renewed dissolution from 2002 to 2007 - in the presence of the Irish Taoiseach , Bertie Ahern , and the British Prime Minister , Tony Blair . After almost ten years of activity, the regional parliament was suspended in 2017 due to government education problems.

literature

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ session , wissen.de, accessed on 27 May 2012 found.
  2. ↑ Glossary: ​​constituent meeting ( memento of October 10, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), bundestag.de, accessed on May 27, 2012.
  3. ↑ Constituent session: Bundestag begins its work ( memento of October 23, 2013 in the Internet Archive ), stern.de, October 18, 2005.
  4. ↑ Bundestag: First session under the sign of the crisis , focus.de, October 27, 2009
  5. ↑ Federal Act on the Rules of Procedure of the National Council , parlament.gv.at, accessed on May 27, 2012.
  6. ^ All members of the National Council take the oath , news.ch, December 5, 2011
  7. ↑ New National Council is sworn in , tagesschau.sf.tv, December 5, 2011
  8. ↑ Government accused of 'abuse of power' after canceling 2011 Queen's speech , guardian.co.uk, 13. September 2010
  9. ↑ a b Labor’s fury as 2011 Queen's Speech is axed as Coalition claim they need more time , dailymail.co.uk, September 14, 2010
  10. ↑ The same procedure as every year , faz.net, November 18, 2009
  11. ^ Queen's Speech 2019 to open parliamentary year FULL
  12. ↑ Is there a State Opening of the Scottish Parliament by the Queen each year? ( Memento of May 11, 2012 on the Internet Archive ), scottish.parliament.co.uk, accessed May 27, 2012.
  13. ^ Opening of the Scottish Parliament ( Memento of June 9, 2012 in the Internet Archive ), electricscotland.net, accessed on May 27, 2012.
  14. ↑ Countdown to the official opening , bbc.co.uk, July 1, 1999
  15. ↑ Holyrood displays a tale of two Ridings , scottish.parliament.co.uk, June 24, 2011
  16. ↑ Behind the banners (PDF; 765 kB), scottish.parliament.uk, November 2005
  17. ↑ 12 May 1999: Winnie Ewing reconvenes the Scottish Parliament , bbc.co.uk, October 31, 2009
  18. ^ Welsh Government: Timeline ( memento June 26, 2012 in the Internet Archive ), wales.gov.uk, accessed May 27, 2012.
  19. ^ Welsh assembly evolution as Queen prepares for pageant , bbc.co.uk, June 7, 2011
  20. ↑ In pictures: The Queen opens the Welsh Assembly , bbc.co.uk, June 7, 2011
  21. ^ Queen opens Welsh assembly , bbc.co.uk, June 5, 2003
  22. ^ State Opening Of Ulster Parliament - Gaumont… 1921 , britishpathe.com, accessed May 27, 2012.