The leader of the Left party, Ines Schwerdtner, has voiced opposition to a proposal by the Green party’s parliamentary group for a special session of the Bundestag to elect three judges to the Federal Constitutional Court this week.
Speaking to the Funke-Mediengruppe newspapers, Schwerdtner emphasized the considerable financial burden a special parliamentary session places on taxpayers. She questioned the justification for convening members of parliament from across Germany during the summer months without a realistic prospect of reaching an agreement. “To spend taxpayer money again for an event that won’t bring us any closer to a consensus, I consider neither sensible nor responsible.
Schwerdtner expressed significant skepticism that a rushed session would yield a resolution. She suggested that instead, the conservative CDU/CSU alliance – the Union – should utilize the summer recess to seek consensus. She directly urged Friedrich Merz, leader of the CDU, to demonstrate greater humility, highlighting the significance of the Constitutional Court and cautioning against partisan maneuvering.
The Left party leader further questioned the Union’s capacity to govern effectively if it fails to secure a majority for the judge selections. “Anyone who fails at judicial elections, I consider also incapable of handling larger tasks” Schwerdtner stated, implying a challenge to the government’s overall competency.