Expert commissions have been described by many observers as an instrument of a new style of governance under Chancellor Gerhard Schröder. Sven T. Siefken presents a comprehensive study on the establishment and work of expert commissions and their role in the political process. Case studies first provide a detailed account of the work of three expert commissions, followed by a political science analysis. Building on the insights derived from this, a systematic overview of all 25 expert commissions of the red-green federal government is provided. This includes bodies such as the Weizsäcker Commission, the Süssmuth Commission, the Hartz Commission, and the Rürup Commission, as well as many commissions that received little public attention.