The Left party’s parliamentary group leader, Heidi Reichinnek, has intensified pressure on the conservative Union parties ahead of the upcoming election of Constitutional Court judges.
Speaking to the news portal T-Online regarding the Union’s candidate, Günter Spinner, Reichinnek stated, “We will not engage in bargaining”. She argued that it would be “only fair” for her party to receive a say in the selection process, mirroring the influence previously afforded to the Free Democratic Party (FDP).
Reichinnek emphasized the responsibility of the Union to secure a democratic majority for their candidate, explicitly excluding support from the Alternative for Germany (AfD). She urged Jens Spahn, the leader of the Union parliamentary group, to initiate discussions with her party. “The ball is in the Union’s court” she asserted.
While remaining ambiguous about whether her faction will ultimately vote for Spinner, Reichinnek assured that “it will not fail on our account”. She reiterated the government coalition’s duty to ensure democratic majorities for all candidates and challenged Spahn to fulfill this responsibility.
Reichinnek accused the Union of shortcomings and stated that her party would not be responsible for correcting any errors. She pointed to her party’s initial willingness to engage in negotiations.