Press release No. 361 of 19 September 2018
WIESBADEN – In a judgment pronounced on 19 September 2018 the Federal Constitutional Court decided that the 2011 Census Act and the related Sample Ordinance are compatible with the Constitution. Dr. Georg Thiel, President of the Federal Statistical Office, commented the judgment as follows: "The Federal Statistical Office welcomes the fact that the constitutionality of the provisions has been established. The statistical offices of the Federation and the Länder will now analyse the judgment thoroughly and continue with the preparatory work for the 2021 Census."
The statistical offices of the Federation and the Länder are responsible for implementing the Census Act. Based on their experience and the current state of science they provide advice to the legislative bodies during the legislative process.
The official size of the population in Germany determined by the 2011 Census is of great importance for the political sphere, administration and the business community. It serves as a basis for continuous population statistics, fiscal equalisation schemes among the Länder and among municipalities, and the delimitation of constituency boundaries, to mention but a few.
Please refer to the website of the Federal Constitutional Court for the complete judgment.
