Your Vote in a Housing Cooperative: How Self-Governance Works

A cooperative share doesn't just buy you an apartment — it buys you a say. The German Cooperatives Act (GenG) sets out fairly precisely how that say actually works in practice.

The principle: one person, one vote

Under Section 43 GenG, every member generally gets one vote at the general assembly, regardless of how many shares they hold. The statutes can carve out exceptions for members who contribute especially heavily to the cooperative's business, but the underlying democratic principle stays intact.

What the general assembly decides

The general assembly (Generalversammlung) is a cooperative's supreme body. This is typically where members elect the supervisory board, which in turn oversees the executive board, and vote on core questions like amendments to the statutes or how to use the annual surplus. Members who take part directly influence the cooperative's direction, for example maintenance priorities or new building projects.

How this differs from a GmbH

At a GmbH (limited liability company), voting weight is generally tied to the size of a shareholder's capital stake — the more capital someone has put in, the more influence they have. At a cooperative, the opposite principle generally applies: one person, one vote, regardless of the amount paid in. In practical terms, that means a member with one share has, legally, the same influence at the general assembly as one holding several. For a broader look at how a cooperative's legal structure compares to a GmbH more generally, see our explainer on what a Genossenschaft is, legally.

What co-determination means in practice

Co-determination doesn't mean every member decides every individual matter. Day-to-day business is run by the executive board, overseen by the supervisory board. The general assembly decides the fundamental, usually once-a-year, course-setting questions. Anyone who wants to get actively involved can often stand for election to the supervisory board or submit motions for the general assembly — the details are set out in the individual cooperative's statutes.

Why this matters if you're looking for an apartment

If you're considering a cooperative apartment, it's worth knowing that membership is more than a plain rental relationship. Before joining, it's worth checking how regularly a cooperative holds its general assembly and how transparently it communicates about upcoming decisions, since that's a good indicator of its actual co-determination culture. Our comparison of renting, cooperative, and ownership covers what that trade-off looks like against the alternatives.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every cooperative member get an equal vote?

As a rule, yes. Under Section 43 GenG, every member gets one vote regardless of the number of shares held, unless the statutes provide an exception for members who especially support the cooperative's business.