EINWURF 4/2014 EN - Let citizens participate! An alternative model of question time in the German Bundestag

Germans are paying less and less attention to debates intheir federal parliament, and media coverage of them is rather limited. Introducing new systems of debate and inquiry could help strengthen the Bundestag as a key arena of political competition. The grand coalition has agreed to amend the system of putting questions to the Federal Government. But this is merely the first step! The questions need to be more topical and wide-ranging, all member of the Federal Cabinet should participate in Q&A sessions, and citizens should ask questions, too. Impossible? Absolutely not!