A parliamentary panel in Berlin selected Andreas Vosskuhle, 46, to become chief justice of Germany's federal constitutional court on Friday 5 March.
The 16 judges of the court are one of Germany's ultimate authorities, with powers to declare legislation or government actions unconstitutional, but they do not deal with appeals, which are handled by another institution, the federal high court.
Vosskuhle had been deputy president of court to Hans-Juergen Papier, who has retired at 66. The court has become more activist during Papier's 12 years as president, expanding the legal doctrine of privacy and rebuking the government for "arbitrary" decisions such as making or refusing welfare handouts without highly detailed criteria.
The vacancy caused by Papier's retirement was filled Friday by Andreas Paulus, 41, a professor of international law. The appointments were made by the judicial committee of the German parliament in Berlin.
Sources: dpa, pa
