The German "Bundesverfassungsgericht" (Constitutional Court) approved the ESM with conditions

style="float: right; margin-bottom: 10px; font-weight: 600;"Mon 17th Sep, 2012

The "Bundesverfassungsgericht" rejected the complaints against the European Stability Mechanism (ESM). The ESM can now be ratified, but conditions for the approval were also given, including a requirement for parliamentary approval of any increase in the current agreed German contribution of 190 billion euros.

The court also made clear that it was not their responsibility to decide about the practicality and usefulness of the ESM. According to the president of the "Bundesverfassungssgericht", Andreas Voßkuhle, this remains the responsibility of the politicians. The court did, however, formally rule whether the ESM would weaken the fiscal right of the Bundestag.

However, even some days after the court´s decision, the debate (pro or con ESM) goes on. Since the court had to decide about the question, if parliament is engaged in a constitutional way, the political question was not touched. Most petitioners were actually against ESM in general and see economic disadvantages for Germany in the ESM. Inflation is especially seen as very negative in Germany, since in the 20th century Germans lost their money twice, once after WW I and again after WW II. Hyperinflation in 1923 (the price for one US dollar went up from 4,20 Marks in 1914 to 420,000,000,000, Marks in 1923) became part of the common awareness even for the generations to follow.

Price stability became a main goal for the Bundesbank (German Central Bank) after WW II and this concept was meant to transfer in the euro and the European Central Bank (ECB). Therefore Draghi´s decision to buy government bonds from countries with high deficits and risk more inflation is strongly criticised in Germany. German government might even go to the European Court to stop this action by the ECB.


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