“It’s the bottom of the barrel” – Caroline Bosbach files a complaint against Böhmermann

Again criticism of Jan Böhmermann: The already controversial issue of his ZDF “Magazine Royale” from October 2nd has now also resulted in a complaint to the ZDF television council. It was submitted by CDU politician Carolin Bosbach, who made the process public on Instagram. The online portal “T-Online” also reported on this.

Bosbach wrote in her article: "The ZDF didn't overstep its bounds here, but let it go. There are enough examples of the contempt for Christian religious content in public broadcasting. But this is the bottom of the barrel." She also shared the excerpt from the program in question (title: “How the Church in the East is fighting the AfD”).

Bosbach also documented her letter to the public broadcaster on Instagram. Among other things, Bosbach complains that ZDF is violating “its own quality and program guidelines”: According to these, care must actually be taken “that programs and telemedia offerings do not despise or degrade religious faith.” It goes on to say: “Religious themes and cultic acts” must be presented “with the reverence and care they deserve,” said the 36-year-old, who has been a member of the German Bundestag since 2025.

“Would ZDF portray Mohammed in the same way?” Bosbach asks the broadcaster

The Catholic ends her remarks with a provocative question: “And I ask myself: Would ZDF portray Mohammed in the same way?” The program was commented on in something like this in the days and weeks after it was broadcast on X. Other Internet users were offended by the fact that Böhmermann showed a graphic illustration of a church and a priest in a wood or linocut look. The black and red symbol of Antifa can be seen on the clergyman's Bible.

Jan Böhmermann's show had already been criticized a lot because Jan Böhmermann made a - according to the critics - tasteless reference to AfD politician Ulrich Siegmund in a sketch. In the clip, the satirist rides a blue Simson and is then run over several times by a truck. (WELT had reported.)