(de-news.net) – In a significant effort to reinforce Germany’s judicial system, the federal and state governments have formulated a revised ‘Pact for the Rule of Law’ aimed at expanding institutional capacity. The federal government has pledged approximately 500 million euros over a four-year period. This financial commitment is designed to support digital modernization and to enable the appointment of additional judicial personnel.

The initiative, scheduled for implementation in 2026, marks a substantial increase in federal contributions relative to the original 2019 agreement. Katja Geiert, Saxony’s Minister of Justice and presiding chair of the Länder justice conference, endorsed the strategy and stressed the necessity of coordinated intergovernmental collaboration.

The initiative has garnered favorable response from the German Judges’ Association, which acknowledged the intended 450-million-euro investment extending through 2029. Managing Director Sven Rebehn noted that the federal government reaffirms its objective to fortify the judiciary. He underscored the urgency of formalizing a binding accord between federal and state authorities prior to the end of the calendar year and emphasized the critical need for swift operational implementation. Rebehn further highlighted acute deficiencies within the criminal justice system, citing a shortfall of approximately 2,000 judicial appointments and a backlog nearing one million unresolved cases – conditions contributing to procedural delays and increased case dismissals.