The European Parliament has given its approval to the proposed resolution.
The election of judges for the Federal Constitutional Court of Germany has been marred by controversy and delay, with the vote to appoint new judges, initially scheduled for mid-July 2025, being postponed. The source of contention is law professor Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf, who faces opposition from the conservative wing and German Catholics due to her stances on abortion and support for mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations.
The CDU/CSU bloc withdrew its backing just hours before the parliamentary vote, causing a rift within the governing coalition led by Chancellor Friedrich Merz. This move has made it unlikely for Brosius-Gersdorf to achieve the constitutionally required two-thirds majority for election.
The controversy has highlighted deeper divisions within Germany's new coalition government, which combines center-left Social Democrats and center-right CDU/CSU. Michael Ploß, a Union MP, has expressed dissatisfaction with Brosius-Gersdorf's response regarding the handling of human dignity, and advocates against holding the vote this week due to the need for further discussion.
Britta Haßelmann, the parliamentary group leader of the Greens, has advocated for the elections to proceed during the parliamentary summer break, urging for the appointment process to continue even during the recess to resolve the judicial vacancies promptly and maintain the Federal Constitutional Court’s functionality.
The dispute has also galvanized opposition from Catholic bishops and laity, who have framed Brosius-Gersdorf's views on abortion as a “domestic political scandal.” Melanie Amann, a lawyer and deputy editor-in-chief of "Der Spiegel", observed that Brosius-Gersdorf was tense at the beginning of her appearance on the Markus Lanz show but gained confidence as she presented her positions. However, Amann found Brosius-Gersdorf's presentation complicated at times and questioned whether many viewers could understand and internalize her arguments.
In response to plagiarism allegations, Brosius-Gersdorf's lawyers addressed the claims, stating that they were unfounded. Jens Spahn, the Union parliamentary group leader, has admitted co-responsibility for the botched judge election and suggested that they should have agreed on another candidate in time. Haßelmann has accused Spahn of irresponsible behavior for not preparing the election of judges for the Federal Constitutional Court optimally.
Haßelmann warns that the dispute in the coalition is serious and another campaign against the second candidate proposed by the SPD is already underway. She demands talks on all levels in the Bundestag as soon as possible to hold a judge election before September. Haßelmann expressed respect for Brosius-Gersdorf's appearance on the talk show, but the dispute over her nomination continues to be a topic in German politics.
- Amidst the ongoing conflict, the Commission has not yet received any information on the resolution of the deadlock in German politics, specifically concerning the election of judges for the Federal Constitutional Court.
- The controversy surrounding judge Brosius-Gersdorf's nomination, including arguments about abortion and vaccinations, continues to be a significant general-news topic, impacting the dynamics of German politics.
