Germany's entry alongside France into a battle between the European Commission and Poland over the rule of law increases the likelihood of unprecedented EU action to punish Warsaw.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel abandoned her usual public restraint last week by criticizing Poland's governing Law and Justice (PiS) party, showing the European Union's executive has the firm backing of its most influential member.
It may be a watershed moment in the dispute over an overhaul of the judiciary and other steps taken by PiS, which Brussels says undermine democracy in the largest ex-communist EU state.