Berlin – A dispute surrounding the selection of new judges for Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court has seen Chancellor Friedrich Merz publicly express his support for the parliamentary group leader of the CDU/CSU, Jens Spahn.
The statement, delivered by deputy government spokesman Steffen Meyer on Friday morning in Berlin, confirmed Merz’s confidence in Spahn amidst growing tensions surrounding the upcoming vote. Meyer declined to comment on the ongoing proceedings within the Bundestag.
The situation arose unexpectedly ahead of the vote on three new judges for the court. Indications emerged that CDU/CSU representatives were reconsidering their support for Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf, a candidate nominated by the Social Democratic Party (SPD). Securing her position requires a two-thirds majority in the Bundestag, necessitating cooperation between the CDU/CSU, SPD, the Green Party and the Left party to avoid reliance on the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Internal resistance within the CDU/CSU ranks surfaced shortly before the scheduled vote, jeopardizing the required majority. Representatives of the Green Party, who had previously signaled willingness to cooperate with both the CDU/CSU and SPD, voiced concerns regarding Spahn’s handling of the situation, describing the unfolding events as potentially catastrophic.