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Constanze Geiert: Saxony wants to abolish the law against insulting politicians: Calling the chancellor a “dandy” is a criminal offense under Section 188—which ...
zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2026-06/paragraph-188-strafgesetzbuch-politikerbeleidigung-abschaffung-constanze-geiert
Insulting politicians should no longer be a crime: Saxony is urging the federal government to abolish the controversial criminal offense of insulting politicians ...
stern.de/politik/deutschland/politikerbeleidigung-soll-keine-straftat-mehr-sein-37474476.html
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The offense of insulting politicians should be abolished.: The preferential treatment of politicians in criminal law is unnecessary. But public denigration ...
faz.net/aktuell/politik/inland/der-tatbestand-politikerbeleidigung-sollte-abgeschafft-werden-200919546.html
After cases like the Merz insult in Heilbronn: Will the paragraph on insulting politicians soon be softened?
stimme.de/heilbronn/stadt-heilbronn/luegenfritz-beleidigung-fall-kanzler-friedrich-merz-besuch-heilbronn-spatenstich-ipai-neuregelung-strafe-paragraf-188-art-5182518
Insults against politicians: Justice ministers want to restrict the paragraph on insulting politicians
zeit.de/politik/deutschland/2026-06/188-stgb-beleidigung-politiker-kommunalpolitiker-strafrecht
OpinionHate speech is not freedom of speech – | local politicians especially need support
morgenpost.de/politik/article412261077/hetze-ist-keine-meinungsfreiheit-gerade-kommunalpolitiker-brauchen-rueckhalt.html
OpinionPenalties for insulting politicians: We don’t need to protect politicians less—we need to protect them better
spiegel.de/netzwelt/politiker-beleidigung-wir-muessen-die-betroffenen-nicht-weniger-schuetzen-sondern-besser-a-725b7045-2365-43c9-89b9-91e2dbe2ec20
Paid articlePaywall Initiative at the Conference of Justice Ministers: "No special rules should apply to us politicians"
spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/beleidigung-sachsens-justizministerin-fordert-abschaffung-von-sonderregeln-fuer-politiker-a-ab43a4fa-1e85-4213-921b-53a5445e7c4e
Paid articlePaywall
Saxony's Minister on insults: "We don't need special laws for politicians"
taz.de/Saechsische-Ministerin-zu-Beleidigungen/!6186173/
OpinionThe offense of insulting politicians is a farce and should be abolished.: A liberal society must always choose freedom of expression when in doubt ...
nzz.ch/der-andere-blick/vom-lackaffen-zum-luegenfritz-der-tatbestand-der-politikerbeleidigung-ist-eine-farce-und-gehoert-abgeschafft-ld.10009841
Key FactsLaw on Politician Insults Faces Calls for Repeal
Jun 4, 2026 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: nzz.ch
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: nzz.ch
- Paragraph 188 of the Criminal Code causes excessive legal actions against politicians, highlighted by a recent insult case on Facebook.
- Chancellor Friedrich Merz shows sensitivity to online criticism and has not stopped hundreds of legal complaints.
- Members of the CDU and justice officials advocate abolishing the law due to its chilling effect on democracy.
- The regulation worsens political discourse toxicity and restricts freedom of expression instead of protecting it.
Of course you may describe the lying Chancellor Merz as 'Lying Fritz.' Most politicians are liars. Merz is also an electoral fraudster who has broken almost every one of his promises.— Markus Haintz, a Cologne-based lawyer; said this in the context of publicly stating that he had filed a self-report against himself because he had called Merz 'Lying Fritz'.
OpinionInsulting politicians: When I called Philipp Amthor a racist asshole: I, too, have experienced hostility as a local politician. And yet I still want the section ...
taz.de/Beleidigung-von-Politikerinnen/!6177976/
Abolish insulting politicians: A law against the people: Section 188 of the Criminal Code was intended to combat hate and protect local politicians. Instead ...
nzz.ch/international/ein-gesetz-gegen-das-volk-der-straftatbestand-der-politikerbeleidigung-gehoert-abgeschafft-ld.1934362
OpinionInsulting politicians: Jens Spahn is right - | abolish Section 188!: Since 2021, insulting politicians has been a criminal offense. This is disastrous—because ...
welt.de/debatte/plus696f3176a4073dd2f97f916c/politikerbeleidigung-jens-spahn-hat-recht-weg-mit-paragraf-188.html
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AfD MP Weidel called a “Nazi slut”: Court sentences pensioner to heavy fine: The district court has sentenced a 69-year-old woman for verbally attacking two AfD ...
maz-online.de/lokales/potsdam/afd-abgeordnete-weidel-nazischlampe-genannt-gericht-verurteilt-rentnerin-zu-hoher-geldstrafe-OUGGJECXGBBS7JFF2YWUCRIN6Q.html
Criminal law for the fourth estate: SPD in Saarland wants to extend criminal offense of political insult to the press
weltwoche.de/daily/strafrecht-fuer-die-vierte-gewalt-spd-im-saarland-will-strafbestand-der-politikbeleidigung-auf-presse-ausweiten/
Nationwide raid against online hate: The conservative-red coalition blithely interferes with freedom of expression
berliner-zeitung.de/politik-gesellschaft/bundesweite-razzia-gegen-hass-im-netz-schwarz-rot-greift-munter-in-die-meinungsfreiheit-ein-li.2336577
AfD's double standards: Alice Weidel files hundreds of complaints for online insults
spiegel.de/politik/deutschland/afd-alice-weidel-stellt-hunderte-anzeigen-wegen-beleidigung-im-netz-a-46971e13-e572-4d78-9695-672abc293cbe
Key FactsAfD’s Contradictory Use of Political Insult Law
Jun 1, 2025 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: t-online.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: t-online.de
- Alice Weidel frequently initiates legal actions against online insults under Section 188 of the German Criminal Code, despite AfD’s vocal criticism of this statute.
- Section 188 addresses insults directed at politicians and was tightened following the 2019 assassination of Walter Lübcke.
- Lawyers report hundreds of cases involving insults to AfD politicians, with Weidel often cited as the victim.
- Though the AfD publicly deems the law unnecessary, it actively employs it as a tool for legal defense and deterring critics.
A court has ruled that I may be called a 'Nazi slut.'— Alice Weidel, on Anne Will (February 2020)
“Power imbalance towards citizens”: Criminal law expert rejects the offense of insulting politicians
berliner-zeitung.de/politik-gesellschaft/bitte-link-zu-interview-ergaenzen-machtungleichgewicht-gegenueber-buergern-strafrechtlerin-haelt-tatbestand-politiker-beleidigung-fuer-schaedlich-li.2321478
Key FactsCritique of Politician Insult Law: Focus on Power Imbalance
May 4, 2025 · Reading time: ~45 sec.
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: berliner-zeitung.de
Summary created with AI assistance · Source: berliner-zeitung.de
- Frauke Rostalski, a criminal law professor, considers the law on 'politician insult' as inappropriate and detrimental.
- She argues that even without this clause, insults against politicians remain punishable, and the law's benefits do not outweigh its harms.
- Rostalski highlights the problematic power imbalance between citizens and politicians, as the latter can communicate through media while citizens face restrictions.
- The rise in complaints and criticism of the law illustrate the challenges surrounding the debate on freedom of expression.
This is a power imbalance against the citizen. They only have their voice.— Frauke Rostalski, Professor of Criminal Law at the University of Cologne, in an interview with the Berliner Zeitung.
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