Saxony is making its state constitution accessible to people with disabilities. The Free State of Saxony is now the fourth German state to publish its constitution in plain language. State Parliament President Alexander Dierks sees this as a step toward improving opportunities for participation. It is desirable that even more people become involved in the democratic community and feel represented by it. Until now, only the states of Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Baden-Württemberg had made their constitutions accessible in this way.
Saxony’s state parliament adopted the Constitution of the Free State of Saxony in 1992. Article 7 of the Constitution also sets forth the state’s objective of creating equal living conditions for people with disabilities. The version now presented in plain language enables, above all, people with cognitive impairments, limited German language skills, or other comprehension barriers to better access the fundamental rules of the state. Dierks envisions that in the future, summaries of laws and other resolutions of the State Parliament will also be published in plain language on the parliament’s website.
