Björn Höcke found with a scalp attached to his belt, allegedly from Brosius-Gersdorfs
In a significant political development, the withdrawal of SPD candidate Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf from the Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG) has sparked outrage and calls for resignation across the German political sphere. The controversy revolves around the politicized rejection of Brosius-Gersdorf’s appointment due to her progressive stance on abortion, causing serious strain within the German government coalition and the judiciary appointment process.
The initial election vote for three justices, including Brosius-Gersdorf, failed due to a lack of the required two-thirds majority, marking a rare and serious political crisis. The Bundestag committee had approved Brosius-Gersdorf, but CDU/CSU members resisted her confirmation, largely due to ideological reasons. Jens Spahn, the parliamentary leader of the CDU/CSU, failed to secure full faction support for her nomination.
Brosius-Gersdorf’s academic work and role in a federal commission on abortion law reform were criticized as too liberal, with opponents incorrectly portraying her as advocating abortion up to birth. She described these allegations as defamatory and unrealistic, calling the politicization of the court election "extremely perilous" for German democracy and the culture of debate.
The Catholic Church and conservative voters expressed strong opposition, viewing her nomination as a "domestic political scandal." This opposition was unusual in its breadth and had significant influence in balking the nomination. The ongoing dispute exposed divisions within the coalition government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who defended Brosius-Gersdorf as facing "unacceptable" attacks but did not confirm plans to propose a new candidate immediately.
The controversy threatens cooperation within the coalition and Jens Spahn’s leadership position, raising concerns about political interference in judicial appointments. SPD faction leader Matthias Miersch wrote a letter to his members and staff stating that the affair has "undermined trust in democracy."
Juso Chairman Philipp Tümmer has demanded the resignation of Union faction leader Jens Spahn, while Green faction leaders Katharina Dröge and Britta Haßelmann confirmed that the criticism of Brosius-Gersdorf is an unprecedented event. SPD foreign policy expert Ralf Stegner described Brosius-Gersdorf’s withdrawal as a "defeat for democratic parties."
The SPD received 16.4 percent of the votes in the federal election, giving them the right to fill two of the three vacant positions on the Federal Constitutional Court. The SPD will propose a new candidate for the Federal Constitutional Court. The withdrawal of Brosius-Gersdorf has caused outrage and is growing in intensity. The SPD now apparently expects its new candidate to be approved without criticism to prevent further damage to democracy.
Barbara Bas, SPD leader and Minister of Labor, spoke of a hate campaign that must concern us and an injury to democracy. Stegner compared the current situation to "thoughts of Weimar." Federal Minister of Justice Stefanie Hubig sharply criticized the campaigns against Brosius-Gersdorf, stating that this development is not in the interest of the rule of law or the Federal Constitutional Court.
Brosius-Gersdorf received support from the Bundestag faction Alliance 90/The Greens and the Bundestag faction The Left. The SPD, Greens, and Left view the objections to Brosius-Gersdorf as an "attack on democracy." Miersch also expressed concern that this could weaken parliament in the long run.
In conclusion, the withdrawal of Brosius-Gersdorf from the Federal Constitutional Court has sparked outrage and calls for resignation across the German political sphere. The controversy revolves around the politicized rejection of her appointment due to her progressive stance on abortion, causing serious strain within the German government coalition and the judiciary appointment process.
The ongoing dispute over the rejection of SPD candidate Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf's appointment to the Federal Constitutional Court has raised concerns about political interference in policy-and-legislation matters, particularly regarding general-news issues such as abortion law. This controversy within the German political sphere could have long-term effects on the culture of debate and cooperative decision-making in politics.
