Juli Zeh steps down early as Brandenburg constitutional judge
The author cites a heavy workload. Zeh had also been tipped as a successor to Federal President Steinmeier but declined.
Archive image · Photo: Sven Mandel / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped and resized)
Author Juli Zeh is leaving her post as a judge at the Constitutional Court of the state of Brandenburg early. She asked to be released from office, citing a "heavy workload due to professional commitments", the state parliament in Potsdam announced; the Märkische Allgemeine Zeitung first reported the news. In a letter to parliament president Ulrike Liedtke, Zeh wrote that she could no longer devote the necessary time to the honorary post.
The 52-year-old, who lives in Brandenburg and has just published her novel "Pony Show", had served as an honorary constitutional judge since 2019; her regular term would have run until 2029. She was nominated by the SPD, of which she is a member. Zeh had recently also been mentioned as a possible successor to Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier but ruled out a candidacy "at the present time", citing her family situation.
The court will continue with eight instead of nine judges for now; 95 cases are currently pending. The state parliament must elect a successor by a two-thirds majority.