Wenn ein Wahlprüfungsbeschwerdeverfahren knapp 20 Monate dauert, ist dies im Hinblick auf den konkreten Fall nicht zu beanstanden. Zu diesem Ergebnis kommt die Beschwerdekammer des Bundesverfassungsgerichts und weist in einem am Dienstag, 26. August 2025, veröffentlichten Beschluss eine „Verzögerungsbeschwerde“ als unbegründet zurück (Aktenzeichen: 2 BvC 25 / 23 – Vz 1 / 25). Wahlprüfungsdauer als unangemessen lang beanstandet Im Mai 2023 hatte sich ein Beschwerdeführer mit einer Wahlprüfungsbeschwerde wegen „mandatsrelevanter Wahlfehler“ an das Bundesverfassungsgericht gewandt, nachdem sein Einspruch gegen die Gültigkeit der Bundestagswahl vom 26. September 2021 vom Bundestag zurückgewiesen worden war. Nach Artikel 41 des Grundgesetzes ist die Wahlprüfung „Sache des Bundestages“. Am 14. Januar 2025 hatte der Zweite Senat des Gerichts festgestellt, dass sich die Wahlprüfungsbeschwerde teilweise erledigt habe und sie im Übrigen verworfen. Der Beschwerdeführer hatte daraufhin die Verfahrensdauer als „unangemessen lang“ beanstandet. Die Karlsruher Richterinnen und Richter widersprachen dem. Im Wahlprüfungsverfahren gelte das „Zügigkeitsgebot“, beruhend auf dem öffentlichen Interesse an der Klärung der Gültigkeit der Wahl und der „sukzessiven Entwertung des Rechtsbehelfs mit fortschreitendem Ablauf der Legislaturperiode“. Zudem bezwecke das Wahlprüfungsverfahren den „subjektiv-rechtlichen Wahlrechtsschutz“. Bedeutsame wahlrechtliche Verfahren vorgezogen Für das Gericht ist nicht ersichtlich, dass diesen Aspekten im konkreten Fall besonderes Gewicht zugekommen sei und die erforderliche Schwerpunktsetzung bei der Bearbeitung anhängiger Verfahren zu beanstanden wäre. Der Zweite Senat habe nach Eingang der Wahlprüfungsbeschwerde im Mai 2023 viele bedeutsame wahlrechtliche Verfahren abgeschlossen und verweist auf das Urteil vom 29. November 2023 zur Vereinbarkeit der Wahlrechtsreform von 2020 mit dem Grundgesetz (Aktenzeichen: 2 BvF 1 / 21). Die vorrangige Bearbeitung dieses Normenkontrollverfahrens habe auch im Interesse des Beschwerdeführers gelegen, da seine Wahlprüfungsbeschwerde unter anderem die Anwendung von Regelungen des Reformgesetzes von 2020 gerügt habe. Wegen der Rechtswirkungen, die von dieser Gesetzesänderung mit Blick auf eine eventuelle Wiederholungswahl noch ausgehen konnten, sei die vom Gericht gewählte Schwerpunktsetzung nicht zu beanstanden. Wiederholungswahl in Teilen Berlins Nach Darstellung des Gerichts sind vorrangig zunächst die Wahlprüfungsbeschwerden bearbeitet worden, die das Wahlgeschehen am 26. September 2021 in Berlin betrafen. Am 10. November 2022 hatte der Bundestag die Bundestagswahl in 431 Berliner Wahlbezirken für ungültig erklärt und insoweit eine Wiederholungswahl angeordnet. Die Bedeutung der Entscheidungen zu diesen Wahlprüfungsbeschwerden zeige sich schon daran, so das Gericht, dass der Bundestag erstmals eine teilweise Wiederholung einer Bundestagswahl für erforderlich gehalten habe und der Zweite Senat des Gerichts nach eigenen weitergehenden Ermittlungen die teilweise Wiederholungswahl insgesamt noch ausgeweitet habe. Damit musste die Wahl am 11. Februar 2024 in 455 von 2.256 Berliner Wahlbezirken wiederholt werden. Das Gericht verweist im Hinblick auf die vorrangige Bearbeitung von Wahlprüfungsbeschwerden auch auf sein Urteil vom 30. Juli 2024, welches das wahlrechtliche Verfahren zum Bundeswahlgesetz 2023 beendete. Diese Schwerpunktsetzung sei angesichts der ursprünglich für den 28. September 2025 vorgesehenen (und später auf den 23. Februar 2025 vorgezogenen) Bundestagswahl wegen des Grundsatzes der Stabilität des Wahlrechts „ohne Weiteres nachvollziehbar“, heißt es in dem Beschluss. (vom/26.08.2025)

Die Finanzaufsicht BaFin konsultiert ein Rundschreiben zur Verbesserung der Abwicklungsfähigkeit von Instituten. Der Entwurf enthält überarbeitete Mindestanforderungen zur Umsetzbarkeit eines Bail-in (MaBail-in).

Europe and Latin America: This deal, which is the largest debt-for-nature swap transaction executed to date in the world, entailed the exchange of part of Ecuador’s existing sovereign debt for new sovereign debt under more favourable financial terms and the resulting release and allocation of significant dedicated funds to the conservation of the Galápagos Islands and their marine ecosystems.

When a business struggles, its officers and directors may look for ways to slow the company’s cash outflows. This may result in businesses paying vendors outside of the terms of their contracts or not paying vendors at all for the goods and services rendered.

New Zealand: The Local Government (Water Services) Act 2025 and the Local Government (Water Services) (Repeals and Amendments) Act 2025 have now passed into law. Their enactment marks the final component of the Coalition Government’s ‘Local Water Done Well’ (LWDW) reform programme. To learn more about how we got here and what the changes mean, click here. 

Dentons has advised one of the largest listed integrated utilities in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, on its $1.2 billion acquisition of GS Inima, a global leader in water and wastewater treatment and water desalination, from GS Engineering & Construction.

Indonesia: It explains how these leveraged transactions operate, the associated risks, and the key legal requirements for securities companies and investors. As Part I of a two-part series, it sets the foundation for understanding these alternative financing mechanisms.

New Zealand: Our inaugural Social and Environmental Impact report highlights the progress we are making and the partnerships we have built to drive positive change. From reducing our carbon footprint to supporting diversity, inclusion and well-being, we are proud to share the ways we are shaping a more sustainable future.

New Zealand: New Zealand homes and infrastructure are becoming increasingly familiar with the consequences of sea level rise, coastal erosion and severe weather events. New Zealand has NZ$145 billion worth of infrastructure near rivers and in coastal areas already exposed to extreme flooding, and a further NZ$26.18 billion worth of roading, pipes, land and buildings vulnerable if sea levels rise by 0.6 metres.

Latin America and the Caribbean: Welcome to the second edition of our Energy Newsletter, where we explore the key trends, opportunities, and regulatory developments shaping the energy sector across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).

Australia: The nature and size of battery energy storage systems (BESS) varies considerably, as can their planning approval pathway depending on their location. In Victoria (Vic), there are limited approval pathways for BESS projects. Whereas, in New South Wales (NSW) and Queensland (Qld) the scale of the project and its complexity affects the approval pathway.

Dentons, the world’s largest global law firm, continues to strengthen its presence in Asia with the addition of Dominic Gregory as a partner in Hong Kong. Dominic’s practice focuses on project finance and project development, particularly in the energy, infrastructure and mining sectors. He also has extensive experience in asset, trade and acquisition finance, green and sustainable finance, and restructurings.

Dentons has advised Premier Foods plc (“Premier Foods”), one of the UK’s largest food producers, on its acquisition of Merchant Gourmet, a premium, healthy and convenient meals brand, for an enterprise value of £48 million on a cash and debt-free basis.

Ukraine: On 13 August 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine (CMU) approved tenders for production sharing agreements (PSA) and the respective conditions for two oil and gas blocks.

New Zealand: Joy Wang recently spoke to the NZ Herald on Overseas Investment and how New Zealand needs more than just homegrown capital and know-how. Joy discusses how foreign investment isn't just about capital. It’s about bringing in global expertise, technology and networks that help Kiwi businesses scale, modernise industries and create high-value jobs. Joy highlights that if New Zealand wants to lift productivity and stay competitive we need clear, predictable rules that attract the right investors, the ones who bring capability as well as capital. 

United Kingdom: After an employment tribunal awarded an employee nearly £70,000 after finding he was unfairly dismissed over a sexual harassment allegation, which was not adequately investigated, we explore some key steps for sound investigations, particularly in sensitive cases.

United Kingdom:The proposed new Building Safety Levy in England (levy) has moved a step closer to implementation with the publication of draft regulations and guidance. This note examines some of the key aspects of the levy as currently proposed.

Linklaters is delighted to announce that Litigation, Arbitration & Investigations Partner Muhammad Faridi has been recognized as an Attorney of the Year finalist by The American Lawyer, honoring his remarkable impact on the U.S. legal system over the past year.
 
As President of the New York City Bar Association — one of the country’s most powerful and prestigious bar associations — Muhammad made history in 2024 as both the youngest person and the first Muslim -American to hold this role. Muhammad has led the City Bar through unprecedented challenges over the past year, including taking decisive action to uphold the rule of law and defend judicial independence nationwide. Under his leadership, the City Bar published a major report advocating for ethics reform at the U.S. Supreme Court. Muhammad also drove significant progress in state court reform, championing efforts to remove the cap on New York State Supreme Court justices to enhance court efficiency. Additionally, he established a major task force on artificial intelligence and digital technologies that has set a national standard for how the legal profession addresses the emerging challenges and opportunities presented by these rapidly evolving technologies.

In the courtroom, Muhammad has led on landmark cases over the past year. He and Baher Azmy of the Center for Constitutional Rights co-chaired a significant pro bono case where their team secured a landmark verdict finding contractor CACI Premier Technology, Inc. liable for its role in the torture of Iraqi men at Abu Ghraib prison, ordering $42 million in damages in November 2024. This case not only delivered rare accountability for post-9/11 abuses, but also set a significant legal precedent for holding private military contractors responsible for human rights violations. The team also included Bonita Robinson, now a senior associate at Linklaters, whose incisive examinations of critical witnesses were instrumental to the verdict; Katherine Gallagher of the Center for Constitutional Rights; Michael Buchanan (co-listed with Muhammad as a finalist for the award), Andrew Haddad, Scott Kim, and Alex Mahler-Haug, of Patterson Belknap; former Patterson Belknap associates Michael Fisher and Thomas Kicak; Shereef Hadi Akeel of Akeel & Valentine PLC; Mohammed Alomari of Azimuth Legal Services PLLC; and Charles B. Molster III of the Law Offices of Charles B. Molster III PLLC. The team was also assisted by paralegals Joyce Addae and Sean O’Shea, and by project assistant Kaihan Rahimi. 

More recently, Muhammad and Linklaters Partner Diana Conner led a pro bono team representing Muslims on Long Island (MOLI) in a successful federal lawsuit against the Town of Oyster Bay, challenging discriminatory practices that hindered MOLI’s efforts to expand a mosque in Bethpage, New York. The team garnered the support of the U.S. Department of Justice and argued that the town’s newly enacted parking ordinance violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, as well as constitutional and state protections for equal treatment and religious exercise. The team secured a highly favorable settlement for MOLI, with the Town agreeing to approve MOLI’s application to expand their mosque as is, update its Town Code to address and resolve claims regarding the legality of the parking ordinance, and make a payment to MOLI totaling $3.95 million, inclusive of attorneys’ fees and costs. The team also included Linklaters Counsel Julia Long, Senior Associate Peter Vogel, and Associate Kailyn LaPorte.
 
Muhammad joined Linklaters in January 2025 as part of the addition of a preeminent 11-lawyer trial team from a leading New York litigation firm. His arrival marked a new milestone as Linklaters continues to grow its U.S. practice into a preeminent disputes and transactional powerhouse, anchored by one of the world’s strongest global legal platforms. Our nationally recognized commercial litigation and trial practice, market-leading white collar defense group, and top-tier international arbitration team operate within a 400-strong litigation, arbitration, and investigations bench across the globe. 

Linklaters is delighted to announce that Litigation, Arbitration & Investigations Partner Muhammad Faridi has been recognized as an Attorney of the Year finalist by The American Lawyer, honoring his remarkable impact on the U.S. legal system over the past year.
 
As President of the New York City Bar Association — one of the country’s most powerful and prestigious bar associations — Muhammad made history in 2024 as both the youngest person and the first Muslim -American to hold this role. Muhammad has led the City Bar through unprecedented challenges over the past year, including taking decisive action to uphold the rule of law and defend judicial independence nationwide. Under his leadership, the City Bar published a major report advocating for ethics reform at the U.S. Supreme Court. Muhammad also drove significant progress in state court reform, championing efforts to remove the cap on New York State Supreme Court justices to enhance court efficiency. Additionally, he established a major task force on artificial intelligence and digital technologies that has set a national standard for how the legal profession addresses the emerging challenges and opportunities presented by these rapidly evolving technologies.

In the courtroom, Muhammad has led on landmark cases over the past year. He and Baher Azmy of the Center for Constitutional Rights co-chaired a significant pro bono case where their team secured a landmark verdict finding contractor CACI Premier Technology, Inc. liable for its role in the torture of Iraqi men at Abu Ghraib prison, ordering $42 million in damages in November 2024. This case not only delivered rare accountability for post-9/11 abuses, but also set a significant legal precedent for holding private military contractors responsible for human rights violations. The team also included Bonita Robinson, now a senior associate at Linklaters, whose incisive examinations of critical witnesses were instrumental to the verdict; Katherine Gallagher of the Center for Constitutional Rights; Michael Buchanan (co-listed with Muhammad as a finalist for the award), Andrew Haddad, Scott Kim, and Alex Mahler-Haug, of Patterson Belknap; former Patterson Belknap associates Michael Fisher and Thomas Kicak; Shereef Hadi Akeel of Akeel & Valentine PLC; Mohammed Alomari of Azimuth Legal Services PLLC; and Charles B. Molster III of the Law Offices of Charles B. Molster III PLLC. The team was also assisted by paralegals Joyce Addae and Sean O’Shea, and by project assistant Kaihan Rahimi. 

More recently, Muhammad and Linklaters Partner Diana Conner led a pro bono team representing Muslims on Long Island (MOLI) in a successful federal lawsuit against the Town of Oyster Bay, challenging discriminatory practices that hindered MOLI’s efforts to expand a mosque in Bethpage, New York. The team garnered the support of the U.S. Department of Justice and argued that the town’s newly enacted parking ordinance violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act, as well as constitutional and state protections for equal treatment and religious exercise. The team secured a highly favorable settlement for MOLI, with the Town agreeing to approve MOLI’s application to expand their mosque as is, update its Town Code to address and resolve claims regarding the legality of the parking ordinance, and make a payment to MOLI totaling $3.95 million, inclusive of attorneys’ fees and costs. The team also included Linklaters Counsel Julia Long, Senior Associate Peter Vogel, and Associate Kailyn LaPorte.
 
Muhammad joined Linklaters in January 2025 as part of the addition of a preeminent 11-lawyer trial team from a leading New York litigation firm. His arrival marked a new milestone as Linklaters continues to grow its U.S. practice into a preeminent disputes and transactional powerhouse, anchored by one of the world’s strongest global legal platforms. Our nationally recognized commercial litigation and trial practice, market-leading white collar defense group, and top-tier international arbitration team operate within a 400-strong litigation, arbitration, and investigations bench across the globe.