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Hesse declares war on the federal government: Pact for the rule of law at the end!
Hesse's Prime Minister Rhein rejects future federal pacts and criticizes inadequate long-term financing of the judiciary.
Hesse declares war on the federal government: Pact for the rule of law at the end!
The dispute between the federal states and the federal government over the financing of the judiciary is taking on more and more concrete forms. Hesse's Prime Minister Boris Rhein made it clear in an interview with the editorial network Germany Deutschlandfunk that Hesse does not want to enter into any further pacts with the federal government. According to Rhein, the state can no longer financially afford these agreements because the federal government often only provides short-term funds and leaves the states alone in the long term.
The situation is particularly explosive with regard to judge positions and the digitalization of the judiciary. The Prime Minister criticizes the fact that the federal government only “puts issues like these in the shop window” without actually offering sustainable solutions. Even a financially strong federal state like Hesse is at the end of its possibilities when it comes to financing judges in the long term. Here, the pact for the rule of law is an example of the dilemma, as the federal government only provides funds for judge positions for a maximum of one to two years, while the states have to take over the financing of civil servants until they retire.
The federal government is investing in the justice system
However, the funds do not flow without conditions: the states are fundamentally responsible for equipping and financing their judiciary. The money for personnel expenses should be made available through adjustments in the sales tax distribution as part of the federal-state equalization. At the same time, Federal Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil emphasizes the need for a well-equipped public prosecutor's office to combat tax fraud, which indicates the urgency of the issue.
Demands for a sustainable solution
The situation is particularly tense as the German Association of Judges reports a nationwide shortage of around 2,000 public prosecutors and criminal judges. Overburdened investigators are increasingly having to close cases, and there are almost a million unfinished files. The Pact for the Rule of Law should therefore not only offer short-term solutions, but rather a long-term perspective. Up to 210 million euros are also promised for the digitalization of the judiciary by 2029, which adds up to 70 million euros annually.
Despite the progress, there are also concerns: The German Lawyers' Association (DAV) has fundamentally welcomed the modernization plans, but warns that the reforms should not restrict those seeking justice. The federal cabinet will decide how the funds will be used, but the pact for the rule of law must first be approved by the states.
Overall, developments in the judiciary remain an exciting topic: How will the federal government react to the criticism, and will the states manage to secure the necessary structures? The coming months are likely to be revealing.