"Right-wing agitators have influenced The Union's actions"
In a significant turn of events, the election of new judges for Germany's Federal Constitutional Court has become a contentious issue, causing a rift within the coalition government. The controversy revolves around the nomination of constitutional law expert, Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf, who was initially supported by Chancellor Friedrich Merz and the centre-right bloc.
## Background
The controversy began when the CDU/CSU withdrew their backing for Brosius-Gersdorf, citing accusations of plagiarism from her 1997 doctoral dissertation, and conservative criticism of her liberal views on abortion and her support for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) strongly opposed her nomination due to her past suggestions to ban the party if legal conditions were met.
## Current Status
The postponement of the Bundestag vote on all three nominees, due to the lack of support for Brosius-Gersdorf, has created a severe rift within Germany's coalition government, with the SPD criticizing the CDU/CSU for their sudden withdrawal of support.
Green Party leader, Felix Banaszak, has been vocal in his criticism of the Union's handling of the situation. He has accused the Union of driving the dispute and described the cancellation of Brosius-Gersdorf's election as "pitiful." Banaszak believes that a recognized constitutional law expert like Brosius-Gersdorf is being discredited by a "right-wing mob."
Banaszak also criticized Merz's approach, finding it disrespectful towards Brosius-Gersdorf and other candidates, for allowing the dispute to continue over the summer. He has urged Chancellor Merz to address the issue and act on the dispute over the election of new judges.
The dispute mirrors aspects of U.S. culture wars over judicial appointments and remains unresolved, with the future course of action regarding the Constitutional Court nominations uncertain.
Julian Reichelt, the former editor-in-chief of "Bild," was significantly involved in the stir about Brosius-Gersdorf, but no specific accusations have been made by Banaszak against the Union. Banaszak finds the whole affair "highly embarrassing" and believes it is unprecedented in the history of the Federal Republic. He suggests that it is not Brosius-Gersdorf who should withdraw, but others.
Banaszak has also praised Merz for setting "correct accents" in foreign policy, particularly regarding Ukraine, and acknowledged that Merz has sent signals that should have come from Federal Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the past years. However, he criticizes the lack of progress in domestic policy under Merz's leadership and attributes the decrease in asylum seekers to the actions of the previous federal government, not the current one.
- Despite the contentious issue surrounding the election of new judges for Germany's Federal Constitutional Court, which has escalated to a political rift, the Commission has also been asked to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of the environment, a matter of general-news importance.
- The ongoing dispute over the nomination of Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf, a constitutional law expert, and the political controversies surrounding her nomination, notably her liberal views on abortion and mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, can be compared to aspects of U.S. culture wars over judicial appointments.
