Top German court upholds disputed national COVID measures

By GEIR MOULSON
Associated Press

BERLIN (AP) — Germany’s highest court has rejected complaints against curfews and other restrictions imposed by federal legislation earlier this year in areas where the coronavirus was spreading quickly. Tuesday’s decision could help the country’s leaders as they struggle to tackle a sharp rise in infections. The ruling from the Federal Constitutional Court came hours before outgoing Chancellor Angela Merkel and her designated successor, Olaf Scholz, planned to hold talks on the situation with the country’s 16 state governors. The court found that the most controversial measures contained in the federal “emergency brake” legislation that was in place from April until the end of June were in line with the constitution.