Just before the planned vote on a constitutional amendment to protect the Federal Constitutional Court for Thursday, Interior Minister Nancy Faeser (SPD) defended the approach against criticism. “Our rule of law must not be able to be sabotaged from within” she told the Funke Media Group newspapers (Thursday editions).
“If authoritarian forces attack democracy, the judiciary is often their first target. We have seen this in European neighboring countries. Therefore, our democracy must be resilient.” It must never be made easy for the enemies of democracy to attack or disable important institutions. “Exactly what we must do is secure the Federal Constitutional Court with the proposed changes” emphasized Faeser.
On Thursday, the Bundestag is scheduled to vote on a joint initiative by the SPD, CDU/CSU, Greens, and FDP factions. The goal is to better protect the highest German court from democratic hostile influences. Important regulations regarding the Constitutional Court, which are currently anchored in a simple law, will be transferred to the Basic Law. In the future, a two-thirds majority will be necessary to change them, specifically targeting the AfD, which has heavily criticized the plans.
Faeser told the Funke newspapers: “That we can now strengthen the independence and effectiveness of the Federal Constitutional Court shows what is possible when democratic forces act together.” The four factions had already agreed on the proposal in July. The vote is taking place now, despite the breakup of the traffic light coalition and before the planned new elections in February.