Former Constitutional Court judge Ferdinand Kirchhof examines differences in the stability of democratic systems between the US and Germany. An article outlines a hypothetical scenario where a government turns Germany into an autocracy, persecutes 'illegal' people, and subjugates courts and media. Kirchhof explains where a Donald Trump-like figure would encounter limits and where the liberal order remains vulnerable.
Ferdinand Kirchhof, former judge at the Federal Constitutional Court, sheds light in a recent article on potential weaknesses in German democracy compared to the United States. The piece poses the question: What if a government transformed Germany into an autocracy, hunted 'illegal' people, and subjugated courts and media? Kirchhof argues that a leader like Donald Trump would face significant institutional barriers in Germany, such as the strong independence of the Constitutional Court and the federal structure.
Nevertheless, he points out that the liberal order is not invulnerable. Kirchhof emphasizes areas where gaps might exist, without proposing specific measures. The article draws on Kirchhof's expertise as a long-serving constitutional judge and aims to discuss the resilience of democratic institutions. No specific current events in Germany or the US are linked to this scenario; it remains a comparative analysis.
