DOI: 10.1017/s157401962610114x ISSN: 1574-0196

The Constitutionalisation of the State of Emergency under the German Basic Law – on the Way to a Total Constitution?

Anna-Bettina Kaiser

Accusations of a ‘total constitution’ in Germany – Alleged excessive constitutionalisation of political life and the narrowing of political processes – The role of constitutional courts in this process – Constitutionalisation of the state of emergency – German emergency constitution – Effectiveness of a high degree of constitutionalisation – Dependence on a specific set of cultural and historical circumstances – Doubts on any attempt to turn the high level of constitutionalisation into an universalisable ‘role model’.