A ring binder © dpa

From printed papers to office keys and research analyses – the Administration of the German Bundestag takes care of the work that goes on behind the scenes at Parliament. Alongside its traditional activities, such as the management of personnel and technical matters, the Administration also includes sections responsible for the Parliamentary Archives, the Library, the specialised research services, the Bundestag’s international relations, the processing of petitions, as well as an equal opportunities officer. The President is Parliament’s most senior officer with authority over personnel matters relating to its employees, including the Police of the German Bundestag.

However, the Administration’s duties are not limited to the provision of services to Members. It also does a tremendous amount to reach out to the public: for example, brochures and other information materials can be ordered free of charge, the Visitors’ Service offers tours through the buildings used by the Bundestag and researchers have access to authoritative sources of information in the Subject and Speakers’ Indexes.