The Federal Council recently elected Ansgar Heveling, a member of the CDU parliamentary group, as the new President of the Federal Court of Audit, thereby adhering to a proposal put forth by the Federal Government. Heveling, a 53-year-old legal professional, will succeed Kay Scheller, whose mandate expires after twelve years.
Under current legislation governing the Federal Court of Audit, both the Bundestag and the Bundesrat must independently choose the President on the recommendation of the government, a process that occurs without debate. The office carries a fixed term of twelve years, and re-election is not permitted. The Federal President executes the appointment of the newly elected official.
The Federal Court of Audit is a supreme federal body located in Bonn. Operating as an independent pillar of financial control, it is solely accountable to the law in its operations. Its core purpose is to support the Bundestag, the Bundesrat, and the Federal Government in their respective decision-making processes.
In a related procedural matter, the Bundestag and the Bundesrat had previously elected Klara Geywitz, the former Federal Minister of Housing (SPD), as the Vice President of the Court on March 5th. She officially began her term on March 19th.