Berlin explores ways to shield top court from far-right

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s ruling coalition is considering ways of bolstering the independence of country’s highest court as fears about the strength of the far-right AfD party grow.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) is polling second in nationwide surveys, raising concern it could gain significant influence in the legislature after the next federal elections in 2025 and seek to hollow out democratic structures from within.
The anti-establishment, nationalist party is already under state surveillance on suspicion of being extremist and anti-constitutional. It rejects allegations it is undemocratic and has said the Constitutional Court, which is appointed by parliament, is biased and closely linked with the government.
Several senior lawmakers from Scholz’s centre-left coalition have over the past week called for the structures ensuring the independence of the constitutional court to be anchored in the constitution rather than a mere law.