Bundesrat

[ boon-duhs-raht; German boon-duhs-raht ]

noun

1. the upper house of the federal legislature of Germany.
2. the federal council of Switzerland and of Austria.

Bundesrat

/ ˈbʊndəsˌrɑːt /

noun

1. (in Germany and formerly in West Germany) the council of state ministers with certain legislative and administrative powers, representing the state governments at federal level
2. (in Austria) an assembly with some legislative power that represents state interests at the federal level
3. (in Switzerland) the executive council of the confederation
4. (in the German empire from 1871–1918) the council representing the governments of the constituent states, with administrative, judicial, and legislative powers

Word History and Origins

Origin of Bundesrat¹

1870–75; < German, equivalent to Bundes, genitive of Bund federation + Rat council

Word History and Origins

Origin of Bundesrat¹

C19: German, from Bund federation + Rat council

Example Sentences

The law still needs to pass Germany’s upper house of parliament, the Bundesrat.

From Seattle Times

In the case of Saarland however, political analysts point out it does not have much weight in the Bundesrat given it has only around a million inhabitants.

From Reuters

State elections in Germany are important bellwethers for the public mood and to determine the distribution of votes in the Bundesrat upper house of parliament.

From Reuters

Swiss President Ignazio Cassis addresses a news conference after a meeting of the Swiss government Bundesrat in Bern, Switzerland February 24, 2022.

From Reuters

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz speaks at the upper House of parliament Bundesrat in Berlin, Germany February 11, 2022.

From Reuters