ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the parliamentary group in the Bundestag as one part of the West German Social Democratic triad, and its links to the other two parts-the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and the SPD-led government. It examines the party's involvement in a federalist institution-the Bundesrat, in which the SPD was indirectly involved through the Lander which it governed or shared in governing. The Fraktion chief also informed the members of prior negotiations with government and FDP leaders to ensure accord on the bills' legislative odyssey; officials of the working groups provided additional details. After the SPD assumed government power, the Fraktion standing orders were changed to allow SPD ministers and parliamentary state secretaries to be present at Fraktion executive and plenary sessions to explain and defend government policies, answer questions, and hear criticism. The 1976 crisis showed that the Fraktion had residual power to change the course of government policy.
