Members of Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) are publicly questioning the viability of continued cooperation with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) following the withdrawal of Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf as a candidate for the Federal Constitutional Court. Philipp Türmer, leader of the SPD’s youth wing, Jusos, stated that a CDU parliamentary group led by Jens Spahn is now excessively burdening the governing coalition and called for a change in leadership. He suggested the SPD should cease collaboration with Spahn specifically.
Ralf Stegner, a prominent figure on the SPD’s left wing, characterized Brosius-Gersdorf’s withdrawal as a defeat for democratic parties, urging CDU leader Friedrich Merz to unequivocally condemn right-wing extremism. Stegner specifically called for the exclusion of Saskia Ludwig, a CDU parliamentarian currently facing criticism, from the party’s parliamentary group. He warned the event could be seen as a victory for far-right elements, drawing historical parallels.
Stegner further asserted the need for Merz to ensure the coalition’s ability to govern effectively, potentially through a change in parliamentary group leadership. He emphasized the CDU must acknowledge the significance of this event to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
SPD Chair Bärbel Bas described the campaign against Brosius-Gersdorf as damaging to the democratic process and expressed concern that such behavior could deter qualified individuals from pursuing public service. She lauded Brosius-Gersdorf’s integrity as a democrat and a legal scholar and highlighted the unprecedented nature of the attacks she faced.
Bas also indicated that the incident has eroded trust within the governing coalition, calling on the CDU to address how it will prevent similar situations in the future and rebuild confidence with the SPD regarding future candidates. She stressed the importance of upholding agreements reached within the coalition framework.