German parliament speaker's visit to strengthen ties with New Zealand

Leading lawmakers from New Zealand and Germany will be sharing experiences of the two countries' shared electoral system this week, New Zealand Parliament Speaker David Carter said on Wednesday.

President of the German Bundestag Norbert Lammert has begun a visit to New Zealand as a guest of the New Zealand Parliament.

His visit coincided with the 20th anniversary of New Zealand's first general election under mixed member proportional (MMP) representation, the electoral voting system also used for the Bundestag and in many state parliaments in Germany.

The visit further enhanced bilateral ties and also strengthened parliamentary relations, Carter said in a statement.

"It will provide Lammert with opportunities to learn first-hand about New Zealand and our strong links. It will enable us to discuss and exchange views on a wide range of issues affecting Germany and New Zealand," said Carter.

The visit continued a series of bilateral high level visits with Germany, the world's fourth biggest economy.

Chancellor Angela Merkel visited New Zealand in 2014 and New Zealand Prime Minister John Key visited Germany in 2015.

Under MMP, the parliament comprises members elected in geographically defined constituencies as well as members elected on a party list system so that the total number of elected representatives reflects the proportion of the vote each party receives. Endit