The prospective candidate for the Federal Constitutional Court, Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf, has issued a public statement defending herself against criticisms leveled against her qualifications and political positioning.
In a declaration released this week, Brosius-Gersdorf asserted that media coverage surrounding her candidacy has been inaccurate, incomplete, lacking objectivity and lacking transparency. She accused certain outlets of prioritizing preventing her election over presenting a factual account of her views.
Brosius-Gersdorf strongly refuted labels such as “ultra-left” or “left-wing radical” dismissing them as defamatory and unrealistic. She also criticized the reliance on anonymous sources, particularly the alleged attribution of criticisms to a justice minister.
The candidate emphasized that a comprehensive examination of her academic work reveals a position situated within the democratic center. She argued that the aforementioned labels are based on a selective and incomplete presentation of her work, with isolated sentences taken out of context to create a distorted image.
Initial reactions to Brosius-Gersdorf’s statement have been polarized. Clara Bünger, a domestic policy representative for the Left party within the Bundestag, welcomed the declaration as a comprehensive response to what she described as an unprecedented smear campaign. Bünger suggested that a more thorough review of Brosius-Gersdorf’s views would likely have resulted in the selection of a highly qualified and independent judge for the Constitutional Court.
Conversely, Stephan Brandner, a legal policy representative for the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, sharply criticized Brosius-Gersdorf. He asserted that her attempt to discredit critics resembled the actions of a person struggling to stay afloat and characterized her statements as “left-wing ideological to unconstitutional” dismissing attempts at interpretation. Brandner also criticized the apparent lack of concern expressed by Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) regarding her views and speculated that efforts would be made to rehabilitate her image during the summer break to facilitate her appointment in the autumn.