The office rotates among the ministers president of each of the federal "Länder" annually. The new Bundesratspräsident is elected during October and takes office on 1 November. In 1950 the Ministers President of the Länder agreed to elect the Bundesratspräsident on a rota, so that every state had a chance to preside over the Bundesrat and to show that the Bundesrat represents all of Germany, rather than the most successful political party.