Threats have been reported against legal specialist Brosius-Gersdorf - Attorney Brosius-Gersdorf facing threats revealed
A major political rift and public outcry have arisen over the appointment of lawyer Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf as a judge at Germany's Federal Constitutional Court. The controversy, which has been ongoing since last week, is centered on plagiarism allegations, ideological disputes, and questions about human dignity protections.
The controversy began when plagiarism allegations surfaced against Brosius-Gersdorf shortly before the parliamentary vote on her appointment. This led the conservative CDU/CSU coalition to withdraw their support and demand a postponement of the vote, citing these concerns as serious enough to delay the decision.
Brosius-Gersdorf's progressive stances on issues such as abortion and mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations have also sparked significant backlash, especially from conservative and Catholic circles. Her view that constitutional protection of human dignity applies only from birth and that legal abortion within the first twelve weeks is constitutionally permissible has been strongly opposed.
The controversy has caused a serious rift within Germany's governing coalition, with the center-left Social Democratic Party (SPD) backing her nomination, while the center-right CDU/CSU coalition has taken a firm stance against it. The CDU/CSU move to block or delay the vote has put Brosius-Gersdorf's nomination in jeopardy of not reaching the required two-thirds majority for confirmation.
The delay in the parliamentary vote and the broad opposition from different societal groups, including prominent Catholic bishops and conservative politicians, reflect deep divisions over the criteria for judges on the Constitutional Court and the interpretation of human dignity in German constitutional law.
Professor Alexander Thiele, a supporter of Brosius-Gersdorf, defended her on ARD "Tagesthemen", emphasizing that the classification of Brosius-Gersdorf as a left-wing activist must be firmly contradicted. Thiele also stated that Brosius-Gersdorf has been badly treated by baseless defamations and hostilities in the public.
Brosius-Gersdorf, who holds a chair for Public Law at the University of Potsdam, has criticized the reporting about her as inaccurate, incomplete, unsound, and opaque. She has also denied being a left-wing radical and considered the debate about her position dangerous.
The re-appointment of all three judge positions had to be removed from the agenda in the Bundestag due to the dispute. The controversy is a significant issue for the black-red government coalition, which has only been in office since May. The dispute is a heavy burden for the coalition, as it threatens to undermine the government's ability to govern effectively.
As the controversy continues, it remains to be seen whether Brosius-Gersdorf's nomination will be confirmed or if the dispute will lead to a stalemate in the appointment process. The outcome of this controversy will have important implications for the future of Germany's Federal Constitutional Court and the interpretation of human dignity in German constitutional law.
Mrs Brosius-Gersdorf, the lawyer appointed as a judge at Germany's Federal Constitutional Court, has faced criticism and allegations of plagiarism prior to her parliamentary vote. Markus Lanz, a prominent talk show host, has reported about the controversy against her, which has been ongoing since last week and has sparked a significant rift within Germany's governing coalition. The heated debate about human dignity protections and ideological disagreements could potentially stall the appointment process, as the nomination requires a two-thirds majority for confirmation. Alexander Thiele, a supporter of Brosius-Gersdorf, has defended her on ARD "Tagesthemen," stating that she has been mistreated by baseless defamations and hostility in the public. The controversy over her appointment, which is a heavy burden for the black-red government coalition, has also reached the University of Potsdam, where Brosius-Gersdorf holds a chair for Public Law.
