The Left party’s parliamentary group leader, Heidi Reichinnek, has stepped up pressure on the conservative Union bloc ahead of the upcoming election of judges to the Federal Constitutional Court.
Addressing the online news portal T-Online, Reichinnek voiced concerns regarding the election of Günter Spinner, the Union’s candidate for a position in Karlsruhe. She argued that fairness dictates The Left should have a similar level of influence in the selection process as the Free Democratic Party (FDP), emphasizing that it’s the Union’s responsibility to secure a democratic majority for their candidate, explicitly excluding support from the Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Reichinnek directly called on Jens Spahn, the chairman of the Union parliamentary group, to engage in discussions with her party. She stated, “The ball is in the Union’s court” while refraining from explicitly declaring whether The Left would support Spinner. “We will decide this within our party group; there is still time considering the election of the constitutional judges”. She added that The Left would not be the deciding factor in the outcome. However, she underscored the government coalition’s obligations to ensure democratic majorities for all its candidates, a responsibility that Spahn needs to fulfill.
Reichinnek accused the Union of failing to adequately secure support. “We are not responsible for correcting the Union’s mistakes” she asserted, emphasizing that The Left has consistently signaled its willingness to engage in dialogue.
