Federal Constitutional Court: Judge election: Spahn grants errors – Union without time pressure

The leaders from the Union and the SPD advise intensively on a solution after the election of three constitutional judges bursting in the Bundestag. What this could look like remains unclear. The Union sees no time pressure. Union faction leader Jens Spahn (CDU) admitted in a first statement in front of a larger circle three days after the debacle of mistakes in dealing with judge election.

On Friday, the elections of two new judges and a judge for Karlsruhe were discontinued by the agenda of the Bundestag. The pressure against the Potsdam constitutional lawyer Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf proposed by the SPD had become too great in the Union. The group management was no longer able to guarantee the support agreed with the coalition partner.

Detailed discussions between the coalitioners

Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) and Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil (SPD) had “very detailed” on the phone on a number of topics, said government spokesman Stefan Kornelius. Spahn reported in a letter to the faction of many conversations that he had led internally and with the SPD at the weekend. “I am convinced that we will find a solution together with the SPD,” he wrote in the letter, about which the “Bild” first reported. It is also available to the German Press Agency.

Spahn: “difficult day” for the coalition

“The last Friday was a difficult day for the coalition. There is nothing beautiful to talk about,” admitted Spahn. “Even if an adhered judge’s election is certainly not a state crisis.” And further: “We underestimated the dimension of the basic and content -based concerns about one of the candidates.” And: “The emergency brake on Friday was late.” It was no longer able to find a compromise with the SPD. “Both sides have their share in that.”

Union sees no urgent needs

Kornelius confirmed statements by the Chancellor from the previous day that a solution was not in a hurry. Spahn also emphasized: “The Federal Constitutional Court is fully able to work. There is no urgency.” The coalition will “take the time that is necessary for a good solution.” According to information from the “Rheinische Post”, the Union rejects a special meeting of the parliament. Regularly, the Bundestag’s plenary only meets on September 10th.

However, according to information from the “Politico” portal and the DPA, the executive board of the Union faction also wants to deal with the topic of judge election this Tuesday.

SPD speaks of loss of trust

In the SPD, the resentment of the cancellation of Friday is still great. The Social Democrats suggested that the Union Brosius-Gersdorf personally meet and hear. “The constructed defamation in the campaign started by right news portals will then dissolve into air,” said Group Managing Director Dirk Wiese of the “Rheinische Post”.

In the “Berlin Playbook ” by “Politico”, Wiese Union faction leader Spahn accused Spahn because of the burst election. “If we receive a promise that judges’ proposals for the Federal Constitutional Court have a majority and then ultimately has to row back Jens Spahn in the end, then it is in a way a loss of trust.”

In the letter to his faction colleagues, Spahn described the question of common ground and trust as central. The closed parliamentary group of the CDU/CSU and SPD at the end of August will be an important part of this process at the end of August.

Söder suggests the candidate’s exchange

CSU boss Markus Söder suggested the coalition partner to exchange the candidate. “On the controversial candidacy and there was no blessing,” he said. That is why his advice is: “Not with his head through the wall.” The SPD should “think again and present a second proposal in autumn, which may be more suitable”. But the SPD has to decide and think about that. SPD parliamentary group leader Matthias Miersch had recently announced: “We stick to our candidates. I expect the majority to be.”

Around 300 lawyers also strengthened Brosius-Gersdorf and criticized the dealings with it in an open letter about which the legal magazine “Legal Tribune Online” first reported. There was no doubt about the professional qualification of the candidate, the lawyers said. They spoke of “lack of political backbone and a lack of internal preparation”. Brosius-Gersdorf was not protected against degradation by the responsible persons and institutions, the incident could also damage the Federal Constitutional Court.