Die Berufsstruktur des Deutschen Bundestages – 18. Wahlperiode

The failure of the FDP to re-enter parliament after the 2013 Bundestag elections as well asthe influx of over more than 200 new parliamentarians led to a shift in the occupationalstructure of the German Bundestag. Using Adalbert Hess’ occupational categories, this articlecontinues the tradition of looking at trends in the occupational structure of GermanMPs, especially at differences in occupational backgrounds between East and West Germanswith a focus on younger parliamentarians. More MPs are drawn from occupationalfields close to politics, specifically from employees of parties and parliamentary partygroups. The exit of the FDP led to fewer freelance professionals in the current Bundestag.Differences between East and West German MPs persist, as fewer Easterners are to befound in the ranks of higher administration as well as among freelancers and self-employed;more often they are drawn from the employees of parties and parliamentary party groups.[ZParl, vol. 45, no. 3, pp. 582 – 595]