Former Bundestag President Wolfgang Thierse, a longstanding member of the Central Committee of German Catholics, has urged both his own political party and the conservative Union faction to exercise restraint and tolerance amidst a contentious dispute surrounding the nomination of Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf as a candidate for the Federal Constitutional Court.
Speaking to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, Thierse advised his own party to de-escalate the current level of contention and to avoid interpreting critical remarks solely as a campaign tactic, even in cases where accusations of harassment have been made. He emphasized that expressions of fundamental beliefs related to the dignity of life from representatives of the Catholic Church should not be viewed negatively. “If one actively seeks out stances from religious institutions on specific issues, one should not then resort to criticism when those positions are unpalatable on other matters” he stated.
Addressing the Union faction, Thierse called for acceptance of the diversity of beliefs that should be reflected within the Federal Constitutional Court, provided those beliefs remain within the parameters of the Basic Law.
The current debate stems from significant criticism leveled against Brosius-Gersdorf by politicians from the CDU and CSU, as well as representatives of the Catholic Church, regarding her liberal views on abortion. In response, prominent members of the SPD have reiterated their support for her candidacy. Due to the Union’s resistance to Brosius-Gersdorf, the elections for all three Federal Constitutional Court candidates were removed from the agenda of the Bundestag last Friday. The future course of proceedings remains uncertain. He further encouraged a thorough examination of the pending matters and suggested allowing the candidate, Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf, to directly address the concerns.