Berlin has had a Seniors’ Participation Act since 2006. It regulates the election, tasks and working methods of the seniors’ representations in the districts, the tasks of the state seniors’ representation and the election and tasks of the state seniors’ advisory council. Seniors’ representatives and the Land Seniors’ Advisory Council are expert bodies in the pre-parliamentary sphere that advise on seniors’ policy issues at the municipal and Land level. Berlin is or was a pioneer nationwide in the legal regulation of the political participation of seniors, which was previously based on the traditionally grown cooperation of seniors’ advisory councils and representations. Initial experiences with the law and the administrative regulation on the election of seniors’ representatives were analysed and evaluated within the framework of this project and introduced into the ongoing amendment process. nexus has prepared an expert report based on three methodological building blocks:

  • Document analysis;
  • Secondary analysis and
  • Expert interviews.

The aim was to scientifically review the genesis of the law, its goals and their implementation. Important questions were the participation of older citizens in elections, the representation of migrants’ interests and the understanding of tasks.

Duration: 07/2010 – 11/2010
Client and Project partner: Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
Team: Prof. Dr. Christiane Dienel (project management), Dr. Christine von Blanckenburg

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