Allegations of serious misconduct levied against Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf in connection with plagiarism accusations
In a recent turn of events, plagiarism allegations have put a halt to the potential appointment of German jurist Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf to the Federal Constitutional Court. The allegations centre around her doctoral thesis, with plagiarism expert Stefan Weber accusing Brosius-Gersdorf's husband, Hubertus Gersdorf, of writing 86 pages[1].
The controversy began amidst broader political disputes, with conservative CDU/CSU parliamentarians opposing Brosius-Gersdorf's nomination not only on plagiarism grounds but also due to her progressive views on abortion and vaccine mandates during COVID-19[2][5]. The Bundestag postponed the vote on her appointment at CDU/CSU's insistence, citing plagiarism suspicions[2].
Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly defended Brosius-Gersdorf, calling much of the criticism and plagiarism accusations "unacceptable" and politically motivated[5]. However, Brosius-Gersdorf herself decided to withdraw her candidacy for the Federal Constitutional Court on 7 August 2025, shortly before the scheduled parliamentary vote[1][3].
The plagiarism claims surfaced in an unspecified Austrian report, and Brosius-Gersdorf has sued Weber for libel over these accusations[3]. The legal and media battles over the plagiarism accusations continue, with Weber escalating the charges and Brosius-Gersdorf and her lawyers rejecting the "ghostwriter suspicion" as unlawful and defamatory[4].
The debate over Brosius-Gersdorf's academic work has taken a new turn with the publication of this report. It remains to be seen how this will impact her future career in the legal field, with the SPD yet to officially accept her withdrawal but appearing unlikely to reinstate her candidacy[3].
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References: 1. Brosius-Gersdorf withdraws from Federal Constitutional Court 2. Bundestag postpones vote on Brosius-Gersdorf's appointment 3. Brosius-Gersdorf sues plagiarism expert Weber for libel 4. Brosius-Gersdorf's lawyers reject plagiarism accusations 5. Chancellor Merz defends Brosius-Gersdorf against plagiarism accusations
Science and policy-and-legislation intertwine as the allegations of plagiarism against Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf's doctoral thesis provoke heated debates among German politicians, influencing her nomination to the Federal Constitutional Court. The controversy over Brosius-Gersdorf's academic work may have wider implications for her future career in the legal field, as general news outlets continue to report on the legal and media battles arising from this challenges to her academic credibility.
