Carsten Günther nominated as President of Federal Administrative Court

Carsten Günther, the current President of the Higher Administrative Court (OVG) of North Rhine-Westphalia, is expected to be appointed as the President of the Federal Administrative Court (BVerwG). Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig has convened the Judges Selection Committee to meet on October 15, where Günther is slated to be elected as a judge of the BVerwG. Following this election, the federal cabinet would formally appoint the 56-year-old to the presidency in Leipzig.

The position has been vacant since June 2024, following the retirement of Andreas Korbmacher. The appointment of Günther follows the withdrawal of the previous candidate, Malte Graßhof, who cited health reasons and the difficulty of commuting to Leipzig.

Günther's nomination has caused some surprise within judicial circles. While recognized as an excellent jurist and a member of the CDU, he has only served as President of the OVG Münster since August 2025. His career includes a notable legal dispute with the North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of Justice regarding a previous appointment process, a case that eventually reached the Federal Constitutional Court.