The German government reaffirmed its support for parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn of the CDU/CSU on Friday amid a developing dispute surrounding the selection of new judges for the Federal Constitutional Court. Deputy government spokesperson Steffen Meyer, responding to inquiries from the dts news agency, stated that Chancellor Friedrich Merz has “naturally” expressed his confidence in Spahn. Meyer declined to comment on the ongoing procedural developments within the Bundestag.
The situation arose shortly before the scheduled vote on three new judges for the court. Prior to the vote, it became apparent that the CDU/CSU was hesitant to provide sufficient support for Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf, a candidate nominated by the SPD. A two-thirds majority is required for the election process within the Bundestag, necessitating cooperation between the CDU/CSU, SPD and typically the Green Party and the Left party to avoid reliance on the AfD.
Internal resistance within the CDU/CSU intensified in the lead-up to the vote, jeopardizing the prospect of achieving the necessary majority. Members of the Green Party, previously prepared to collaborate with both the CDU/CSU and SPD, voiced concerns about Spahn’s handling of the situation, characterizing the circumstances as a “disaster”.
