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☆ Germany Can Cut Funding to Far-Right Party, Rules Court
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

KARLSRUHE, Germany (Reuters) - Germany can cut off state funding to the successor party to the far-right NPD even though it is not banned, the Constitutional Court said on Tuesday in a landmark ruling which adds fuel to a debate about whether the nationalist AfD could be penalised. The court in Karlsruhe justified its decision by saying the National Democratic Party (NPD) and its successor, Die Heimat, aimed to impair or eliminate the country's democratic system. The ruling is being closely watched as mainstream politicians struggle to respond to a surge in support for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), second in most polls with support of about 22%. Hundreds of thousands of people have taken to the streets across Germany protesting against the AfD after a report that some party members discussed policies such as mass deportations of people of foreign origin at a meeting of right-wing radicals. (Reporting by Ursula Knapp; Writing by Madeline Chambers; Editing by Kirsti Knolle)

Persons: Ursula Knapp, Madeline Chambers, Kirsti Knolle Organizations: Constitutional, National Democratic Party, NPD Locations: KARLSRUHE, Germany, Karlsruhe, Bundestag

[1/3] FILE PHOTO: German Chancellor Olaf Scholz looks on as he meets NATO's Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg in Berlin, Germany, November 9, 2023. Wednesday's decision by the constitutional court could also set a precedent for fiscal responses to future crises. "FAR-REACHING CONSEQUENCES""The court ruling has far-reaching consequences for fiscal policy in Germany," said Clemens Fuest, President of the Ifo economic institute. This was done with the Second Supplementary Budget Act 2021, which retroactively amended the Budget Act for 2021. The constitutional court ruled that this act was incompatible with Germany's Basic Law and so was void.

Persons: Olaf Scholz, Jens Stoltenberg, Liesa, Chancellor Olaf Scholz's, Christian Lindner, Lindner, Scholz, Robert Habeck, Clemens Fuest, Ralph Solveen, Habeck, Friedrich Merz, Maria Martinez, Christian Kraemer, Ursula Knapp, Matthias Williams, Kirsti Knolle, Madeline Chambers, Susan Fenton, William Maclean, Catherine Evans Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Finance, Union, Social Democrats, Free Democrats, Christian Democratic Union, Thomson Locations: Berlin, Germany, Ukraine

☆ Carmakers owe compensation for emissions cheating devices, German court rules
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

June 26 (Reuters) - Carmakers must pay compensation for diesel vehicles fitted with illegal emissions controlling devices, Germany's highest federal court ruled on Monday, in a case that could potentially cost Volkswagen, Mercedes-Benz and others millions of euros. The judge overturned previous dismissals by courts of such claims and referred them back to courts of appeal. It was up to carmakers to prove that their so-called defeat devices were functional and not illegal, she said. Carmakers argue the devices, which are only switched on at certain temperatures, are needed to protect the motor and are in line with the law. Reporting by Ursula Knapp, Victoria Waldersee, Ilona Wissenbach; Editing by Maria Sheahan and Mark PotterOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ursula Knapp, Victoria Waldersee, Ilona Wissenbach, Maria Sheahan, Mark Potter Organizations: Volkswagen, Mercedes, Benz, Audi, Court, Justice, Thomson

☆ German police use of software to fight crime unlawful, court says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Feb 16 (Reuters) - A top German court ruled on Thursday that police use of automated data analysis to prevent crime in some German states was unconstitutional, dealing a win to critics of the CIA-backed Palantir Technologies (PLTR.N) that provides the software. Provisions regulating the use of the technology in Hesse and Hamburg violate the right to informational self-determination under the German constitution, a statement from the constitutional court said. U.S.-based Palantir Technologies makes software for data analytics used by intelligence and law enforcement agencies around the world, according to its website. In comments to the Handelsblatt newspaper, Palantir's strategy chief in Europe, Jan Hiesserich, said the company merely provides the software for processing data, not the data itself. The German Society for Civil Rights (GFF), which brought the case against police data analysis, said Palantir software used innocent people's data to form suspicions and could also produce errors, affecting people at risk of police discrimination.

☆ German court dismisses challenge to 750 bln euro EU recovery fund
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BERLIN, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Germany's constitutional court on Tuesday threw out a legal challenge to the European Union's 750-billion-euro ($786 billion) recovery fund, which saw the EU take on joint debt to help member states overcome the COVID-19 crisis. German Finance Minister Christian Lindner welcomed the ruling but said some aspects of the decision would have to be closely analysed by the government. The funds are to be repaid from the EU budget over the coming decades, with Germany shouldering by far the biggest share of any member state. The court ruled that the ratification act had not violated their right to democratic self-determination nor did it "impair the overall budgetary responsibility of the Bundestag". Lucke expressed disappointment at the ruling but said it was positive that the court had emphasized the EU has no general authority to take on common debt.

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