Germany Moves to Safeguard Constitutional Court from Populist Influence

Germany is set to amend its constitution to protect the structure of its highest court and prevent populist parties from gaining power to weaken it. The changes include a fixed size for the court, a 12-year term for judges, and more robust parliamentary majorities required for modifications.

Germany's government and leading opposition parties have agreed to amend the constitution to protect the country's highest court from populist influence.

Justice Minister Marco Buschmann highlighted the necessity of the amendment following similar actions in Hungary and Poland that targeted judicial power. The parties, holding over 80% of parliamentary seats, expect the amendment to pass comfortably.

The proposed changes will enshrine the court's size, judges' 12-year term, and a mandatory retirement age of 68 in Germany's Basic Law. Alterations to the court will require a two-thirds parliamentary majority, as opposed to a simple majority.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser stated that the rule of law must not be sabotaged from within, stressing that the judiciary is often the first target when authoritarians attack democracy.

The agreement between the ruling coalition and the opposition was also seen as a response to similar issues observed in Hungary and Poland, where judicial independence faced threats from populist governments.