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BERLIN (AP) — Germany's top court says the country's education minister overstepped constitutional boundaries and exceeded her neutrality in a statement she made about a nationalist party.
Johanna Wanka had suggested that people should join protests against the Alternative for Germany party, which had organized a rally against the government's refugee policy in November 2015. She said the party, known by its German acronym AfD, should be shown a "red card."
The Federal Constitutional Court ruled Tuesday that government institutions are allowed to respond to criticism but their reaction has to remain factual.
AfD welcomed the ruling.
Wanka, a member of Angela Merkel's party, isn't part of the next chancellor's next Cabinet.
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