The Green Party intends to cast unified votes for all three candidates vying for positions on the Federal Constitutional Court during Thursday’s selection process, extending an invitation to the Left Party to do the same. Green Party leader Felix Banaszak, speaking to the Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland, highlighted this as a key distinction between the two parties, emphasizing their commitment to upholding democratic responsibility even while maintaining a clear opposition stance against the current government.
Banaszak described the recently proposed candidate, Sigrid Emmenegger, as “a strong and beyond-reproach candidate”. He urged the governing coalition to conclude the “undignified spectacle” of recent months and ensure robust democratic majorities are secured for all three nominees, actively engaging with opposition factions in the process.
Concerns were raised regarding the lack of sufficient prior engagement of the Green and Left parties in the selection process. Banaszak noted that actions by Jens Spahn and Matthias Miersch nearly jeopardized the proceedings.
The Green Party aims to prevent further setbacks that could potentially damage the reputation and effectiveness of the Federal Constitutional Court. Banaszak recognized growing societal anxieties, particularly concerning the direction of the country, referencing the recent controversy surrounding the candidacy of Eva Brosius-Gersdorf. He criticized the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Christian Social Union (CSU) for allegedly allowing themselves to be influenced by right-wing populist sources during that previous selection process, raising concerns about the potential damage to democratic institutions.