The Left is suing the Federal Minister of Economics for an alleged breach of neutrality

The election in Berlin is three days over when the Federal Minister of Economics gives a speech, part of which is posted on Instagram shortly afterwards - published by the Federal Ministry of Economics. In it Katherina Reiche says:

The Left Party immediately demands that the Federal Ministry of Economics delete it, but nothing happens. The minister's "broadside" against the Left Party is still available today.

That's why the lawsuit is now being filed in Karlsruhe, even though Left Party leader Luigi Pantisano finds the CDU politician's criticism okay in principle. “She can do that on the CDU channels, on her private channels, okay,” says Pantisano. "That's part of the political debate. But if she abuses her role as minister, that's how we have to act."

Left sees abuse from the ministry's channel

If the Federal Ministry of Economics distributes such statements, then it is a violation of the neutrality requirement. Or as the Left puts it in its urgent motion: “The principle of equal participation in political competition guaranteed in the Basic Law” is being violated.

“It cannot be the case that ministers misuse - or use - their own communication channels to take action against other political actors,” says the Left party leader. "Or against a possible government under left-wing leadership."

Today, the Federal Ministry of Economics only provides a kind of “acknowledgment of receipt” of the lawsuit. “I can confirm for the Ministry of Economic Affairs that the urgent application has reached us via the Federal Constitutional Court,” says spokesman Tim-Niklas Wentzel. “But I would ask for your understanding that we cannot provide any further information about the ongoing proceedings.”

Linke also looks at contributions from CDU interior ministers

The left, on the other hand, has collected ammunition. Since the Berlin election, she has been exposed to a “party political campaign” by the CDU. In addition to Federal Minister Reiche, several CDU interior ministers also distributed similar articles through their official channels.

They have already been deleted - after warnings - in Schleswig-Holstein and Saxony. Others are still available: in Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg and Hesse. But regional courts would have to decide there.

Merkel lost in Karlsruhe - rich people too?

The constitutional judges in Karlsruhe have repeatedly ruled on the neutrality requirement at the federal level over the decades. Most recently against Chancellor Angela Merkel. In 2020, she publicly called the election of an FDP politician as Thuringia's Prime Minister "unforgivable" because he came into office with AfD votes. Merkel was defeated in Karlsruhe.

And what does the left now want to achieve with its lawsuit? "It's important to send a signal that we won't let this happen to us, that you can say anything about the left without facing consequences," says party leader Pantisano.

Has Minister Reiche violated her duty of neutrality? It will probably take years for Karlsruhe to decide on this. The Left has therefore applied for an interim injunction - and so the constitutional judges could order the Federal Ministry of Economics to delete the controversial video for the time being in the coming days.