The Conference of Heads of State Governments as a Form of Interaction between the Federal Republic of Germany and the Regions

The study examines the Conference of Minister-Presidents of the Federal Republic of Germany as a format of negotiation coordination in the system of German cooperative federalism. The aim of the study is to analyze its role in the interaction between central authorities and the peripheral lands of the country, its political-institutional nature, decision-making procedures, and practical significance in coordinating issues of national policy. It is emphasized that the Conference is not a constitutional body and does not possess direct normative competence; nonetheless, it plays an important role in shaping a coordinated position of the lands and structuring their dialogue with federal authorities. Using the example of migration policy, transport financing, hospital sector reform and the COVID-19 pandemic, the ability of the Conference of Heads of Government to ensure inter-level coordination in complex management situations is revealed. It is established that this format complements the constitutional formats of land participation, while maintaining the limitations associated with the lack of regulatory force of decisions and the risks of reducing the transparency of the negotiation process.