ABSTRACT
Although there are 17 parliaments in Germany, 16 at state level and the
Bundestag as the national parliament, none of them keeps any systematic
record of individual members’ voting behaviour.1 Exceptions are roll call
votes; but these do not occur frequently.2 In all other cases the official
record – and there is no other record – will only say that a bill or motion
has been approved or rejected. Sometimes it notes ‘with great majority’ or
‘against a few votes’, and quite seldom we find something like ‘with the
votes of parties3 A and B against the votes of party C; party D practised
abstention’. Apart from rare exceptions, the result of a vote on the floor will
not surprise any MP or observer, nor will any doubt occur about who was
in favour or against a bill or motion. Usually it suffices to know on whose
initiative it has been introduced: Cabinet bills and motions get their majority
by votes from the parties in support of the cabinet,4 and opposition bills and
motions are usually voted down by the government camp.5 Except for roll
call votes, the names of dissenters are never noted. Implicitly they are
recorded only if deputies make statements on their (dissenting) voting
behaviour in the plenary, but they need not do so.6
