Case Study German Bundestag

Organization

The German Bundestag is the parliament and legislative body of the Federal Republic of Germany, located in Berlin. It is the only federal constitutional organ directly elected by the German populace, as stipulated by Articles 20(2) and 38 of the German Constitution. The Bundestag operates independently, not through delegation or as a representative of a third party. Its decisions are considered expressions of the (hypothetical) will of the people.

Legally, the Bundestag comprises 630 members who represent the entire nation, according to § 1 Abs. 1 Satz 1 of the Federal Election Law. Following the electoral reform on March 17, 2023, which aimed to reduce the number of deputies, the system of overhang and compensatory mandates was eliminated. As of 2024, the 20th German Bundestag consists of 734 seats.

Challenge

The German Bundestag convenes in full session for 20 weeks each year. In addition, there are 30 committee rooms where various committee meetings take place. VIDEO.TAXI broadcasts all these sessions live on the website www.bundestag.de, records them, and promptly makes them available as video on demand.

For individuals with hearing impairments or who are deaf, VIDEO.TAXI offers live subtitling. This service uses artificial intelligence that is refined with human correction. These adjustments help train and enhance the system’s accuracy.
Furthermore, about 220 hours of plenary sessions per year are also available with live sign language interpretation, facilitated by both hearing and deaf certified interpreters.

Result

With 1,200 hours of live subtitling annually, the German Bundestag’s accessibility content ranks among the most extensive in Europe, ensuring that legislative proceedings are accessible to all citizens.