A senior figure within the German parliament has cautioned against transferring the authority to select judges for the Federal Constitutional Court to the Bundesrat (Federal Council). Omid Nouripour, Vice-President of the Bundestag and a representative of the Green Party, voiced this perspective in an interview with “Handelsblatt” on Friday, citing the current politically charged atmosphere.
Nouripour argued that shifting responsibility to the Bundesrat might not necessarily improve the outcome, given the level of political tension already present. He further emphasized that such a move would send a damaging signal concerning the Bundestag’s ability to function independently.
He highlighted that the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) had previously approved the selection of Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf within the Electoral Committee. Consequently, he expressed confusion regarding recent calls for her withdrawal from the process.
Nouripour warned against a potentially damaging precedent, drawing parallels to practices observed in the United States, where judicial appointments appear to be influenced by ideological alignment rather than professional skills and legal expertise.
The Bundestag was scheduled to elect three new judges last Friday, including Brosius-Gersdorf. Current legislation permits the Bundesrat to assume the election process if consensus cannot be reached within the Bundestag.