Members of the Green Party are urging parties within the German parliament to expedite the selection of new judges for the Federal Constitutional Court Britta Haßelmann, leader of the Green Party parliamentary group, stated that the court is currently in a state of uncertainty following a recent, unprecedented complication in the selection process
Haßelmann identified Jens Spahn, a leading figure within the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and his party as bearing significant responsibility, referencing a lack of internal consensus She also noted the broader coalition’s role in the delay, pointing out that two candidates selected by the selection committee are still awaiting formal appointment She emphasized that finalizing the selection is a matter of both respect and protocol
Both the Green and Left parties have expressed criticism over the lack of communication from coalition factions regarding a renewed attempt to secure the appointments Haßelmann highlighted that achieving a successful outcome requires support from opposition parties, but stated that no dialogue has yet commenced regarding potential candidates
She also questioned the approach taken by Matthias Miersch, the SPD parliamentary group leader, who has alluded to a proposed candidate without revealing their identity Haßelmann interpreted this as evidence of underlying distrust between coalition partners and called for prompt discussions with all democratic factions in the Bundestag to ensure a secure democratic majority for the judicial appointments
Clara Bünger, a deputy leader of the Left Party parliamentary group, dismissed criticisms leveled by the CDU against her party, suggesting that Friedrich Merz, the CDU leader, holds a different view than Jens Spahn Bünger urged the CDU to take responsibility, engage in discussions and seek stable majorities for the Federal Constitutional Court, rather than pursue what she characterized as right-wing campaigning
The Federal Constitutional Court consists of 16 judges, half of whom are appointed by the Bundestag (German Parliament) and the other half by the Bundesrat (Federal Council) A two-thirds majority is required for appointments in both chambers, traditionally achieved through an informal agreement amongst relevant parties based on their respective sizes Following the most recent federal election, the combined strength of the CDU, SPD, Greens and FDP no longer constitute a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag, necessitating the support of either the Left Party or the Alternative for Germany (AfD) to secure judicial appointments