Court rules: Compact magazine will not be banned in Germany

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser banned the magazine called Compact, which she referred to as far-right, but the court has now overturned the decision.

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser, a politician of the Social Democrats, ordered the immediate ban of the Compact magazine in July, which she called the “central mouthpiece of far-right extremism.” Faeser believes the magazine incites against Jews, migration, and parliamentary democracy.

The case went to court, and now the Leipzig court decided that,

the principle of freedom of speech must prevail,

so they annulled the Interior Minister’s ban order. The judges stated that there were instances where the magazine violated human dignity and aggressively opposed constitutional principles, but the freedom of speech must prevail over the interests of the government speaking in the name of protecting the constitution.

According to the decision of the court, the magazine can now continue to be published, although the court will further inform itself and investigate the case.

In response to the court decision, CSU politician Alexander Hoffmann criticized Interior Minister Faeser, calling her unfit, and he considered the court decision to be “devastating,” saying that a “far-right magazine has won against Faeser, who is unable to defend democracy.” German liberals believe that Faeser has become the best campaign supporter for the AfD with this incident.

However, the German Journalists Association welcomed the court’s decision,

interpreting it as a protection of press freedom.