Senate of Berlin
The Senate of Berlin (German: Senat von Berlin; unofficially: Berliner Senat) is the executive body governing the city of Berlin, which at the same time is a state of Germany. According to the Constitution of Berlin the Senate consists of the Governing Mayor of Berlin and up to ten senators appointed by the governing mayor, two of whom are appointed (deputy) mayors.[1] The Senate meets weekly at the Rotes Rathaus (Red Town Hall).[2]
History
The Brandenburg municipalities of Alt-Berlin and Cölln had received town privileges in the 13th century and from 1307 on shared a common administration, but were divided after the elector subjected the city (following the idea of divide and rule) and made it his residential city in 1448. King Frederick I of Prussia by resolution finally had both towns, and three later founded adjacent cities,[3] merged and elevated to the "Royal Capital and Residence City of Berlin" as of 1 January 1710.
From the
After the defeat of
Under the new constitution of
Thus, following the Hanseatic tradition, the Lord Mayor was only primus inter pares as he and the senators had an elected mandate, therefore the Lord Mayor could not dismiss any senator. Senators could however be removed from their seats by the Parliament. Until 1990 all elected Mayors and Senators had to have their positions confirmed by the Allied commanders of West Berlin. Since both the building then used as the town hall of Berlin, (the Neues Stadthaus ), and the Rotes Rathaus (which had been destroyed and was not rebuilt until 1956) were in East Berlin, the Senate met at the former town hall of Schöneberg, Rathaus Schöneberg.[14]
During the transition to a reunified Germany in 1990, a new Magistrat was elected in East Berlin and a Senate appointed in West Berlin, and they jointly governed as a Landesregierung aus Senat und Magistrat (state government of Senate and Magistrat, known popularly as the MagiSenat),[15][16] which initially met in alternate weeks at the Schöneberg town hall and the Red Town Hall.[17] The Oberbürgermeister (East) and the Regierender Bürgermeister (West) similarly headed the government jointly.
With the completion of reunification on 3 October 1990, the MagiSenat became a unified Berlin Senate, no longer depending on Allied confirmation. The new Senate was reduced to a maximum of 8 members, and senators are now appointed by the Governing Mayor (1995 amendment of the constitution). There are now two Deputy Mayors.[18] The senate meets in the room in the Red Town Hall which was originally created for the Magistrat in the 1950s.[2]
Departments
The Berlin Senate consists of ten ministries or departments (German: Senatsverwaltungen).[19] Their work is coordinated by the staff of the Senate Chancellery, which is under the direction of the governing mayor. As of 2023, the composition of the Senate is as follows:
Portfolio | Senator | Party | Took office | Left office | State secretaries | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Governing Mayor of Berlin Senate Chancellery |
Kai Wegner born 15 September 1972 |
CDU | 27 April 2023 | Incumbent |
| ||
Deputy Mayor Senator for Economy, Energy and Enterprise |
Franziska Giffey born 3 May 1978 |
SPD | 27 April 2023 | Incumbent |
| ||
Deputy Mayor Senator for Finance |
Stefan Evers born 10 October 1979 |
CDU | 27 April 2023 | Incumbent |
| ||
Senator for Culture and Social Cohesion | Joe Chialo born 18 July 1970 |
CDU | 27 April 2023 | Incumbent |
| ||
Senator for Urban Development, Construction and Housing | Christian Gaebler born 8 December 1964 |
SPD | 27 April 2023 | Incumbent |
| ||
Senator for Interior and Sport | Iris Spranger born 19 September 1961 |
SPD | 27 April 2023 | Incumbent |
| ||
Senator for Education, Youth and Family | Katharina Günther-Wünsch born 3 April 1983 |
CDU | 27 April 2023 | Incumbent |
| ||
Senator for Science, Health and Care | Ina Czyborra born 23 June 1966 |
SPD | 27 April 2023 | Incumbent |
| ||
Senator for Labour, Social Affairs, Equality, Integration, Diversity and Anti-Discrimination | Cansel Kiziltepe born 8 October 1975 |
SPD | 27 April 2023 | Incumbent |
| ||
Senator for Mobility, Transport, Climate Protection and Environment | Manja Schreiner born 29 April 1978 |
CDU | 27 April 2023 | Incumbent |
| ||
Senator for Justice and Consumer Protection | Felor Badenberg born 21 May 1975 |
Ind. (CDU nomination) |
27 April 2023 | Incumbent |
|
- ^ "Verfassung von Berlin - Abschnitt IV: Die Regierung". www.berlin.de (in German). 2016-11-01. Retrieved 2020-10-02.
- ^ a b Virtueller Rundgang: 7. Senatssitzungssaal, Berlin.de (in German)
- ^ These were Friedrichswerder, Dorotheenstadt, and Friedrichstadt.
- ISBN 0-203-98402-1, p. 11.
- ^ Elkins, p. 23.
- ^ Elkins, pp. 34–35.
- ^ Elkins, p. 37.
- ^ Elkins, p. 40.
- ISBN 1-85743-254-1, p. 1845.
- ISBN 0-415-93920-8, p. 191.
- ^ Elkins, pp. 41–42.
- ISBN 0-7867-0510-8, p. 774.
- ISBN 0-201-14399-2, p. 35.
- ^ Elkins, p. 169.
- ^ Eckardt D. Stratenschulte, "Mission Accomplished? Berlin Society and the Challenge of Reunification (pdf) p. 12.
- ^ Sigrid Kneist, "Berliner Wiedervereinigung: Am Anfang stand der Magi-Senat", Der Tagesspiegel 2 October 2010 (in German)
- ^ Der "MagiSenat" unter Walter Momper und Tino Schwierzina Archived 2010-08-23 at the Wayback Machine, Berlin.de (in German)
- ^ The Constitution of Berlin: Section IV: The Government Archived 2011-06-12 at the Wayback Machine, Berlin.de
- ^ "Die Landesregierung von Berlin". Senatskanzlei. 2023-06-11. Retrieved 2023-06-11.