ˌɔn fˈoːɹtiːn dʒuːlˈaɪ tˈuː θˈaʊzənd θɹˈiː, ðə kˌɑːnstɪtˈuːʃənəl kˈoːɹt, wˌɪtʃ hæd hæd sˈɛvɹəl dʒˈʌdʒᵻz ɐpˈɔɪntᵻd fɹʌmðɪ ˌɛfˌɑːɹdʒˈiː, ɐpɹˈuːvd hɪz kˈændɪdəsi fɔːɹ pɹˈɛzɪdənt, ˈɑːɹɡjuːɪŋ ðætðə tˈɜːmz ʌvðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi fˈaɪv kˌɑːnstɪtˈuːʃən kʊd nˌɑːt biː ɐplˈaɪd ɹˌɛtɹoʊˈæktɪvli.
On 14 July 2003, the Constitutional Court, which had had several judges appointed from the FRG, approved his candidacy for president, arguing that the terms of the 1985 Constitution could not be applied retroactively.