Its members were not elected, neither by popular vote nor by state parliaments (which even didn't exist in some member states), but had been appointed by the state governments or by the state's prince.
Para anggotanya tidak dipilih, baik oleh suara terbanyak maupun oleh parlemen negara bagian (yang bahkan tidak ada di beberapa negara anggota), tetapi telah ditunjuk oleh pemerintah negara bagian atau oleh pangeran negara bagian.