© dpa
Just under six weeks after the election, the Berlin House of Representatives will convene today (October 29, 2026, at 10 a.m.) for its constituent session.
The plenary session is traditionally opened by the oldest member of the parliament, known as the "eldest member." As in the previous legislative session, this duty falls to CDU politician Kurt Wansner (78).
The focus will then shift to the election of the Speaker of Parliament. As the largest caucus, The Left has the right to nominate a candidate and has put forward longtime representative Hendrikje Klein for this important position. She can expect to receive broad support. Klein would be the first female politician from The Left to hold this office. On Tuesday, the 46-year-old graduate in public administration introduced herself to the caucuses. She has been a member of the House of Representatives since 2016. Among other things, the Speaker’s duties include presiding over sessions in the House of Representatives. The Speaker also chairs the House Presidium and the Council of Elders. She further exercises authority over the premises and police powers within the legislature and represents it externally. The Speaker is elected for the duration of a legislative term. An absolute majority is required for the election.
According to the rules of procedure, the two vice presidents of the House of Representatives nominate the second- and third-largest parliamentary groups - namely, the CDU and the AfD. The CDU has nominated the current Speaker of the House, Cornelia Seibeld, while the AfD's candidate is Martin Trefzer. The House of Representatives has 153 members in the new five-year legislative term - 6 fewer than before. The Left holds 45 seats. However, the caucus currently consists of only 44 members because one elected Left politician was unable to attend the caucus's constituent meeting due to illness. The CDU has 33 members, the AfD 29, the Greens 25, and the SPD 21. Just under half of the members are new to the House of Representatives. Women make up about 38 percent of the House of Representatives.