Conservative Party member expresses hesitations towards Brosius-Gersdorf - CDU Members of European Parliament Express Concerns Regarding Brosius-Gersdorf
In a political storm that has gripped Germany, the potential election of Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf as a federal constitutional court judge has been met with intense scrutiny and division. The controversy stems from several key factors, including allegations of plagiarism, controversial views on abortion, and ideological differences.
Britta Haßelmann, the Greens' parliamentary group leader, sharply criticized Jens Spahn, the Federal Health Minister, for his leadership failure in organizing the necessary votes for Brosius-Gersdorf's election. Haßelmann accused Spahn of falling into the patterns of the Alternative for Germany (AfD), a far-right political party.
The CDU/CSU bloc, which initially supported Brosius-Gersdorf's candidacy, raised allegations of plagiarism against her. These accusations, which have not been confirmed by an expert opinion, heightened skepticism about her suitability for a high judicial position.
Beyond abortion, Brosius-Gersdorf's endorsement of compulsory vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic has been fiercely criticized by conservatives, further fueling their opposition to her candidacy. Her progressive stance on abortion, including the belief that legalizing it within the first twelve weeks of pregnancy could be constitutionally permissible, has been fiercely criticized by Catholic groups and pro-life advocates.
Her views on abortion have brought together Catholic bishops and lay Catholics in opposition, labeling her appointment a domestic political scandal. Bishops have called for candidates who relativize human dignity protections—such as those supporting abortion—to be disqualified from the court.
Christoph Ploß, another CDU MP, was not convinced by Brosius-Gersdorf's explanations regarding the accusations against her. Ploß admitted that the process of her election was not good and that improvements are needed. He also expressed that he would not have voted for Brosius-Gersdorf's election as a constitutional judge.
Ploß rejected Brosius-Gersdorf's accusation of a "campaign" against her, but Haßelmann saw clear leadership failure in Spahn for not being able to organize the necessary votes in his parliamentary group for Brosius-Gersdorf's election.
All but one of the 24 Union MPs declined to appear on Markus Lanz's talk show after the fiasco in the Bundestag, except for Ploß. The controversy has led to significant political tension, with the CDU/CSU ultimately delaying the vote over her election. It remains unclear how the election of the federal constitutional court judges will continue.
Haßelmann did not express her opinion on whether she would have voted for Brosius-Gersdorf's election as a constitutional judge. However, she stated that the way Brosius-Gersdorf was treated was not how women should be treated in the republic. Haßelmann also expressed her frustration with men explaining this world to her, stating, "I no longer have any interest in men explaining this world to me."
Despite the controversy, Brosius-Gersdorf remains a controversial jurist who was temporarily prevented from being elected as a federal constitutional court judge. Her case serves as a reminder of the political and ideological divisions that exist within Germany's political landscape.
The Commission, in the midst of the political turmoil enveloping Germany, has been tasked to draft a proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment, considering the ongoing debate surrounding the controversial judicial candidate, Brosius-Gersdorf, whose election has been met with division. This proposal could potentially serve as a policy-and-legislation measure to reinforce general-news values such as integrity and human rights, which have been questioned due to the political storm and ideological differences.
Britta Haßelmann's critical words towards Jens Spahn, Federal Health Minister, have highlighted the potential consequences of political friction, including the delay in the election of Brosius-Gersdorf as a federal constitutional court judge. This incident underlines the significance of maintaining a balanced and political-neutral approach in the decision-making process, ensuring that issues such as policy-and-legislation, politics, and general-news receive fair consideration and treatment.
