Bundestag Amends Constitution to Shield Top Court from Enemies of Democracy

Dec 19, 2024, 11:17 AM

On December 19, 2024, the German Bundestag voted to amend the constitution to strengthen the Federal Constitutional Court's independence and safeguard it from political influence, particularly from extremist forces like the AfD. The reform, supported by the SPD, Greens, FDP, and CDU/CSU, aims to prevent 'enemies of democracy' from instrumentalizing the Court. The amendment enshrines the number of judges and their term lengths in the constitution and introduces a 'blockade resolution mechanism' to prevent blockages in judge appointments; if the Bundestag cannot reach the required majority, the Bundesrat will appoint the judge. This measure is partly a response to concerns about situations like in Poland, where the judiciary has been undermined. The AfD voted against the reform, criticizing it as a 'scandal'. Politicians across parties, including Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, have hailed the reform as a necessary step to ensure the Court's functionality in politically turbulent times.