The first sitting of a new Bundestag is opened by the Alterspräsident, literally the president by age. Until 2017 that was the oldest member. On 1 June 2017, the Bundestag changed its rules. Now the member who has belonged to the Bundestag longest opens the sitting. Age decides only when two members have served equally long. The stated reason was parliamentary experience. The change also had a political background. Under the old rule, a member of the AfD, which was about to enter the Bundestag, would have opened the 2017 session. On 25 March 2025, Gregor Gysi opened the new Bundestag after thirty years and nine months as a member. The title is still Alterspräsident.