German court rules rescue body breaches constitution

The German Constitutional Court issued a ruling on the 28 February 2012 which would boost the powers of parliamentarians in the German Parliament. The court declared that a select committee ('Group of Nine') set up in 2011 to approve emergency steps for fighting the eurozone crisis was illegal.

The judges had to decide how far parliament should be involved in decisions taken by the EU bailout mechanism, the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF). The Bundestag had passed a law enabling a nine-member body to make emergency decisions on how and when the EFSF should be implemented. However, Germany's highest court found that the committee infringed on parliamentary rights.

The judges did concede, however, that decisions about buying sovereign bonds on the secondary market could be made by the nine-member body because of the need for confidentiality and speed.

Deutsche Welle, 28.2.12: Parliamentarians should make active contribution to bailout http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,15773761,00.html

Deutsche Welle, 28.2.12: Opinion: a good decision for Europe http://www.dw.de/dw/article/0,,15774166,00.html

ESO: Background information: Merkel gets Bundestag to back bail-out http://www.europeansources.info/record/merkel-gets-bundestag-to-back-bail-out/

Spiegel Online International, 28.2.12: German Court Grants Parliament More Say in Bailouts http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,818007,00.html

ESO: Background information: Germany to set up MP group to fast-track euro decisions http://www.europeansources.info/record/germany-to-set-up-mp-group-to-fast-track-euro-decisions/

Bundesverfassungsgericht: Press Release, 28.2.12: Antrag im Organstreit "Beteiligungsrechte des Bundestages/EFSF" überwiegend erfolgreich http://www.bundesverfassungsgericht.de/pressemitteilungen/bvg12-014.html

EUObserver, 27.2.12: Van Rompuy: National parliaments are EU institutions http://euobserver.com/18/115395

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