All about the PoP

1.Our Organization:

The Partnership of Parliaments (PoP) was founded in San Francisco in October, 1983, upon the completion of a Study Tour to the United States by representatives to Germany’s regional parliaments. The proper incorporation according to German law soon followed in Berlin in January, 1984.

2.Members

The Partnership of Parliaments currently includes approximately 400 members across each state of the Federal Republic of Germany and in Austria. The membership is comprised of almost equal numbers of both parliamentarians and non-parliamentarians. The Partnership of Parliaments also has members in the USA and in Canada.

3.Financing

The PoP is financed exclusively through membership fees (at least 60 EURO per year) and donations. Sponsors may become partial members with a minimum donation of 550,- EURO per year.

4.Place of Business

The Partnership of Parliaments office is located in the Bernhard-Lichtenberg-Haus, Hinter der Katholischen Kirche 3, 10117 Berlin (Mitte), Germany.

Telephone: +49-30-2064679-0
Fax: +49-30-2064679-16
Email: PdP(at)berlinoffice.org, SLLF(at)berlinoffice.org

Our offices can be reached by the bus lines TXL, 100, and 200. Bus stop: Staatsoper. Also bus 147, stop: Werderscher Markt. Or you can take the Subway (U-Bahn): The closest subway station for line U 2 is Hausvogteiplatz, for line U 6 it is Französische Strasse.
If you arrive at Berlin-Tegel airport, you just hop on bus "TXL". This line gets you directly to bus stop "Staatsoper".

5.Board of Directors

President:
The Hon. Clemens Reif (CDU),
Member of the Hesse House

Vice-Presidents:
The Hon. Heinz Lehmann (CDU)
Member of the Saxonian House;
The Hon. Rolf Seel (CDU),
Member of the House of North Rhine-Westphalia, Treasurer;
The Hon. Dr. Dorothee Stapelfeldt (SPD),
Member of the Hamburg Burgess

Three Members of the Administration Committtee:

Heinz Drobesch,
Chief Clerk of the Styria House, Austria;
The Hon. Hannelore Klamm (SPD),
Deputy Speaker of the Rhineland-Palatinate House
The Hon. Volker Ratzmann (The Green Party),
Member of the Berlin House of Representatives, Minority Leader

Executive Director: Mr. Alfons Schöps

6.Partners in the USA

The PoP works in conjunction with the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) of the United States. The NCSL is a leading society for American state legislatures under which approximately 7,500 representatives and 20,000 staff members are organized. NSCL headquarters are located in Denver, Colorado. Illinois State Senator Donna Stone is currently serving as NCSL President and Mr. William T. Pound is Executive Director. The NCSL maintains a vital branch office in the U.S. capital of Washington DC.

The National Conference of State Legislatures invites you to visit them on the web at: http://www.nscl.org

The Partnership of Parliaments also works closely with the State Legislative Leaders Foundation (SLLF) in Massachusetts. Membership in the SLLF is extended to Senate Presidents, Speakers, and House and Senate Majority and Minority Leaders. The office of the Chair of the SLLF Board of Directors is currently held by the Honorable Lois M. DeBerry, House Speaker Pro Tem, Tennessee.
Mr. Stephen G. Lakis is the President of the State Legislative Leaders Foundation.
In 1999, SLLF expanded their activities to include Europe.
The European Chair 2007/2008 is The Hon. Liubisha Georgievski from Macedonia.
Mr. Alfons Schöps is the Director of European Operations of SLLF/Europe.

The State Legislative Leaders Foundation can be visited on the web at: http://www.sllf.org

7.Study Tours to Germany

Every year, the Partnership of Parliaments arranges a two-week Study Tour to Germany for American legislative representatives. The delegations visit several German states and the travel route is planned so that both old and new states are visited. The selection of the American participants is conducted by the NCSL. Meanwhile, the actual programs in each German state are organized with the help of PoP members living within that state. Whenever possible, the Partnership of Parliaments requests that the host states finance their own costs (e.g. hotels, transportation, etc.). The host states are asked to arrange programs in keeping with the selected thematic focus of the Study Tour.

8.Study Tours to the USA

Two-week Study Tours to the United States are conducted once a year. The participants are chosen by the Board under a quota system which ensures that all German states and their parties are considered. These trips are limited to twelve participants. One day prior to departure for America, a mandatory briefing session is held whose goal it is to familiarze the delegates with the program itinerary, its goals, and U.S. domestic politics. Participation on behalf of the spouses of delegates is unfortunately not possible.

9.Study Tours to and from Canada

In 1993, the Partnership of Parliaments extended its relations to include Canada, with the vision to offer delegates a Study Tour to their partner country on a two year rotation.
The feasability of these Study Tours with Canada depends largely on PoP’s ability to work directly with the provincial parliaments of Alberta, Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. The Canadian Embassy in Berlin generously offers these programs their additional support.

10.Participation of Regional Parliaments in the work of PoP

The regional German ans Austrian parliaments are asked for their support in the execution of Study Tour
Programs. Their help is requested in receiving the guest-delegates and welcoming them before the other members of their parliament.
In light of PoP’s corporate members within Germany’s regional parliaments, the number of Study Tours we can offer is subject to increase. Members of the Partnership of Parliaments include all German and Austrian state legislatures.

11.The Results of our Work

Representatives from almost every American state have been invited by the Partnership of Parliaments to travel to Germany. Many past delegates are still actively committed to furthering german-american relations.
In the almost twenty-five years of PoP’s existence, an encompassing network of contacts has been created. One could honestly say that no other private organization promotes such diverse relationships across America and Canada on such a plain as the Partnership of Parliaments. The PoP is committed to improving international understanding among the people of Germany, the United States, and Canada.

The Partnership of Parliaments is a non-profit, non-partisan organization whose members in the German state legislatures take an active role in shaping PoP programs for the benefit of all of its members.