Berlin, 24.10.17: One month after the parliamentary election, the constituent session of the new Bundestag took place. An ecumenical church service was held in the French Cathedral in the morning.
Alongside Chancellor Angela Merkel, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, outgoing Bundestag President Norbert Lammert and many outgoing Cabinet ministers attended.
The first plenary session began in the morning.
The 19th German Bundestag comprises 709 members.
The new members represent six different political parties.
The first important point on the agenda was the election of the new Bundestag President.
501 members of the German Bundestag voted for Wolfgang Schäuble, who will now follow in the footsteps of Norbert Lammert. The Chancellor congratulated him.
In his inaugural speech the 75 year-old said he looks ahead calmly to the debates that the Bundestag will see over the next four years.
The session marked the end of the term of office of the outgoing CDU/ CSU/ SPD coalition.
As laid out in the German Basic Law or constitution, Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier asked Angela Merkel to continue as acting Chancellor until a new government is formed.
The certificates of dismissal are all ready for the outgoing Cabinet in Schloss Bellevue in the afternoon.
The new Bundestag President Wolfgang Schäuble also received his certificate of dismissal as Federal Minister of Finance in the outgoing Cabinet.
Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier thanked the government for its work over the last four years.
The outgoing government will remain in office until a new coalition is forged, as provided for in Article 69 of the German Basic Law or constitution.
The government thus retains its full ability to act until a new government is formed.