Negotiations surrounding the selection of judges for Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court are ongoing, with the leader of the Left party, Jan van Aken, indicating a willingness to engage with the conservative Union faction, contingent on certain conditions.
Speaking to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, van Aken stated his party is prepared to extend cooperation but expects its concerns to be addressed. He emphasized the importance of compromise in a democratic system, a principle he believes should be recognized by the Christian Democratic Union (CDU).
The Left party is seeking a right to nominate judges for the Federal Constitutional Court as a condition for supporting candidates put forward by the black-red coalition government (composed of the CDU/CSU and the Social Democrats). Currently, the CDU/CSU and SPD have three nominations each, with the Greens and the FDP holding one nomination apiece.
Following the failed judge selection process on July 11th and the subsequent public disagreements within the governing coalition regarding the suitability of candidate Frauke Brosius-Gersdorf, van Aken suggested his party’s support is conditional. He acknowledged a prior willingness to consider Union-backed candidate Günter Spinner, contingent upon discussions regarding the nomination rights.
Van Aken expressed skepticism about convening a special session of the Bundestag, citing a lack of progress from the Union and SPD regarding their disagreement on Brosius-Gersdorf’s candidacy. He questioned the necessity of recalling parliamentarians for a repeat outcome, noting, “The Union and the SPD have not moved a millimeter further than on July 11th”. He added, “If there is a plan as to how to proceed, if there have been talks with us, then a special session can certainly take place. For that, the Union doesn’t have to publicly crawl on its knees and say: From now on, we’ve started talking to you. All of this can happen under the radar. But so far, nothing has happened.
Regarding concerns that the Left party’s growing influence within the Bundestag might hinder a rapprochement with the Union, particularly due to outspoken policy positions such as demands for restructuring the capitalist system, van Aken defended his party’s stance on issues like housing affordability. He stated that those who find his party’s criticisms of landlords exploitative are free to label them as radical. He expressed a desire to redistribute wealth derived from perceived unfair practices.
