Composition

In the 16th electoral term, the Defence Committee comprises 30 members: 11 from the CDU/CSU parliamentary group, 11 from the SDP, 3 from the FDP, 3 from the Left Party and 2 from ALLIANCE 90/THE GREENS. This composition reflects the relative strengths of the parliamentary groups in the plenary of the German Bundestag.

There is a substitute member for each titular member of the Committee. The committee is chaired by Ulrike Merten from the SPD parliamentary group. Her deputy is Dr. Karl A. Lamers from the CDU/CSU parliamentary group.

At administrative level, the Defence Committee has a secretariat with a staff of 8 to support it in its work. The secretariat's main task is to prepare, hold and follow up committee meetings. This involves, inter alia, compiling documents for the Committee's deliberations, sending out the agenda, drafting recommendations for resolutions and reports to be submitted to the plenary, and drawing up the minutes of meetings.

Moreover, the secretariat deals with submissions addressed to the Defence Committee. Finally, it is also responsible for preparing and organizing official functions, arranging visits by committee delegations and looking after visitors.