Appointment of judges: SPD brings U-committee into play
In the dispute over the appointment of the head of the Higher Administrative Court in Münster, the opposition SPD parliamentary group has brought a committee of inquiry into play. Addressing NRW Justice Minister Benjamin Limbach (Greens), MP Hartmut Ganzke (SPD) said on Tuesday: "The SPD no longer believes them."
Limbach is suspected of having favored a former judge colleague with whom he is on friendly terms. The minister had repeatedly emphasized that there was "no close relationship" with the woman. In the past ten years, he had perhaps had lunch with her three times, he said on Tuesday.
The governing factions of the CDU and Greens accused the opposition of playing a "shabby game". During another special session of the state parliament's legal committee on the case, Limbach had previously emphasized that the proceedings had been "correct, fair and in accordance with the legal rules".
Limbach also admitted that he had held talks with all applicants for the position of President of the Higher Administrative Court, which he had not yet reported to the Legal Affairs Committee. He had refrained from doing so due to the confidentiality of the discussions.
However, it was absolutely normal procedure and a requirement of fairness towards the applicants. "The applicants want feedback and they are entitled to it," he said. He had asked two applicants not to pursue their application any further, Limbach said.
He contradicted the claim that he had said in a conversation with a federal judge that he had found "someone better". This was not correct and the applicant had not claimed this in the court proceedings to challenge the decision. There had been an open-ended examination by the specialist department, which he had signed without any interventions or changes.
The SPD's move to instigate a committee of inquiry challenges the Government's handling of the Justice Department, specifically the appointment of judges, as they no longer trust the Minister's assurances. Despite limiting his interactions with the favored candidate to a few lunches, Limbach's actions in the appointment process have raised eyebrows within Parliament, stirring questions about fairness and impartiality.
Source: www.dpa.com
