Overview

• The Bundestag’s Richterwahlausschuss gave SPD nominee Sigrid Emmenegger the required two‑thirds recommendation, clearing her for a plenary vote.
• Lawmakers plan a secret ballot on Thursday to fill three Federal Constitutional Court seats, with each candidate needing two‑thirds of votes cast and a majority of all members.
• The Union–SPD coalition lacks an automatic supermajority and is seeking backing from Greens or The Left to avoid relying on AfD votes, as Jens Spahn voiced confidence the election will succeed.
• The Left freed its MPs to vote by conscience and criticized the CDU for not engaging on Union nominee Günter Spinner, leaving his support uncertain.
• The AfD denounced SPD candidate Ann‑Katrin Kaufhold as an activist, signaled it could support Spinner, and called Emmenegger unproblematic.