Upper House reform in Germany : the commission for the modernization of the Federal System

Abstract

As the debate on a possible new second legislative chamber proceeds both in the United Kingdom (U.K.) and Canada, it is useful to note recent amendments to the German Constitution (Basic Law) affecting the federal upper house of Parliament (Bundesrat). Despite all the differences among the House of Lords, the Canadian Senate, and the Bundesrat, there are some points on which a comparison is useful. Moreover, some of the impetus behind the German reforms - a conviction that there had been too much emphasis on cooperative federalism and too little on healthy competition - is reminiscent of debates about such matters in other federations in general, and Canada in particular.