Negotiations are intensifying in Berlin as political parties grapple with the upcoming selection of judges for Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court. The Left party is urging the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and its Bavarian sister party, the Christian Social Union (CSU), to engage in discussions aimed at preventing a potential two-thirds majority secured with the support of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party.
Jan van Aken, co-chair of the Left party, voiced concerns in an interview with the “Rheinische Post”, stating that the CDU must swiftly work to create a democratic majority for their candidate. He warned that presenting a candidate under the current circumstances risks recreating a joint majority with parties holding far-right ideologies. Van Aken further emphasized that such a decision would carry considerable political ramifications, potentially damaging the CDU’s reputation, the selected candidate and even the credibility of the Federal Constitutional Court itself.
The parliamentary selection committee of the Bundestag is scheduled to issue a recommendation on Monday evening regarding the filling of three vacancies on the Federal Constitutional Court. The CDU/CSU bloc intends to propose Günter Spinner, currently a judge at the Federal Labour Court, for consideration.
Stephan Brandner, Deputy Federal Spokesperson for the AfD and a member of the selection committee, has refrained from explicitly endorsing Spinner, leaving open the possibility of support from his faction. Achieving election in the full parliamentary session requires a two-thirds majority of votes cast. Recognizing the potential for reliance on the AfD, the current coalition government is actively seeking support from the Left and Green parties to avoid this outcome.