Joint Committee
The Joint Committee of the Bundesrat and the Bundestag has 48 members, two thirds of whom are Members of the German Bundestag and one third members of the Bundesrat. The Joint Committee is intended to act as Germany’s emergency parliament if insurmountable obstacles prevent the Bundestag from assembling in good time when a state of defence is declared.
Article 53a of the Basic Law
(1) The Joint Committee shall consist of Members of the Bundestag and Members of the Bundesrat; the Bundestag shall provide two thirds and the Bundesrat one third of the committee members. The Bundestag shall designate Members in proportion to the relative strength of the various parliamentary groups; they may not be members of the Federal Government. Each Land shall be represented by a Bundesrat Member of its choice; these Members shall not be bound by instructions. The establishment of the Joint Committee and its proceedings shall be regulated by rules of procedure to be adopted by the Bundestag and requiring the consent of the Bundesrat.
(2) The Federal Government shall inform the Joint Committee about its plans for a state of defence. The rights of the Bundestag and its committees under paragraph (1) of Article 43 shall not be affected by the provisions of this paragraph.