Government Affairs - Justice Minister Advocates Stronger Safeguards for the Constitutional Court
The ministers of justice from various states are aiming to provide greater protection for the Federal Constitutional Court's independent stance against potential internal threats. Kathrin Wahlmann, Justice Minister of Lower Saxony (SPD), stated this to the German Press Agency.
Lower Saxony is currently holding the position of chairing the Justice Ministers' Conference, with this gathering taking place in Hanover on Wednesday and Thursday. According to Wahlmann, there appears to be a strong consensus among the participating ministers regarding this issue. The German Lawyers' Association (DRB) has urged Bund and Länder to expedite a joint proposal for this matter. "The instances of Poland and Hungary serve as chilling reminders of how quickly supposedly stable legal order states can deteriorate," commented Sven Rebehn, the DRB's managing director.
Additionally, resilience in the rule of law is set to be a major point of conversation. "The main threat to the rule of law at present comes from the right; in some cases, it reaches such extremes as overthrow fantasies. The ongoing investigations against the Reichsbürger group and Prince Reuß are a prime illustration of this," said the minister. The Federal Prosecutor's Office made yet another raid on potential associates of Heinrich XIII. Prince Reuß, a self-proclaimed Reichsbürger ideologue who leads an alleged terrorist group, on Tuesday.
The justice ministers plan to discuss harsher penalties for those who undermine democracy as well. "We are considering harsher punishment for enemies of democracy, even for property damage or insults committed with the intention of opposing democratic ideals - such as against citizens engaged in politics," revealed the minister. Furthermore, the minister mentioned the latest instances of attacks on politicians.
Other topics expected to be addressed in the Justice Ministers' Conference include speedier asylum processes and asset confiscation. Results of the discussions will be revealed at a press conference scheduled for Thursday.
