Luxembourg - The European Court has ordered Germany to lift its constitutional ban on women fulfilling combat roles in the armed forces, writes Denis Staunton.
The court was adjudicating on a case taken by Ms Tanja Kreil (23), an electronics engineer from Hanover whose application to join the Bundeswehr (army) was rejected in 1996. Germany's constitution states that women must not bear arms on behalf of their country, and the Bundeswehr only accepts women only into its medical corps and army bands. "German legislation barring women outright from army jobs involving the use of arms is contrary to the Community principle of equal treatment for men and women," the court said in a statement.