Judge appointments seek proposed alteration by Woidke
Brandenburg's Minister-President, Dietmar Woidke (SPD), has proposed a fresh start on the appointment process for three judges at Germany's Federal Constitutional Court. This move comes after the initial nomination process sparked significant political infighting, leading to the resignation of one candidate, Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf[1].
The current status is that the previous nomination process has been effectively reset by Woidke’s announcement, signaling an overhaul in the selection of candidates. The SPD, a key player in the governing coalition, is leading efforts to put forward new candidates to address transparency criticisms and political tensions tied to prior nominations[1][3].
Woidke's proposal aims to expedite the process of finding a solution to the current impasse. He suggests that the parties needed for a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag should be involved early on in the process. However, his proposal excludes the AfD from participation in the negotiations[1].
The Union has nominated the federal labor court judge Günter Spinner, while the SPD has proposed constitutional lawyer Ann-Katrin Kaufhold as an alternative candidate[1]. The Left party and the Greens have not yet been nominated as candidates for the positions at the Federal Constitutional Court[1].
Woidke finds it incomprehensible that a qualified candidate has been discredited in this manner by some parts of the CDU/CSU. He emphasized that the previous candidates could stand in a new procedure, but his proposal does not suggest that the previously nominated candidates should withdraw from the process[1].
Despite previous assurances, the faction leadership could no longer guarantee their support for Brosius-Gersdorf. Woidke has called for the inclusion of the Left party and the Greens in the negotiations over the appointment of judges to the Federal Constitutional Court[1]. The Left party and the Greens have not been mentioned as having reservations about the nominated candidates, Brosius-Gersdorf or Spinner[1].
Woidke stated that the previous approach does not reflect well on the coalition at the federal level. He believes it is necessary for the factions in the Bundestag to quickly find a way out of this situation and submit a solution[1].
In Woidke's view, the only way out is for all candidates to withdraw and for the factions in the German Bundestag to completely restart this procedure[1]. This proposal is aimed at depoliticizing and restarting the appointment process to preserve the integrity of Germany’s highest court[1].
The SPD, a part of the governing coalition, is actively involved in the new nomination process for judges at Germany's Federal Constitutional Court, aiming to address transparency concerns and political tensions from previous appointments. As per Woidke's proposal, all parties needed for a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag should be involved early on, excluding the AfD, to expedite a solution to the current impasse.
