Overview
- Germany’s top administrative judges ruled that lawsuits against the household levy are admissible when plaintiffs allege sustained failures in diversity and balance across public broadcasters’ output.
- The court set an exceptionally high threshold, requiring proof of evident and regular violations across TV, radio and online offerings for at least two years.
- Administrative courts may examine such cases and, if convinced, refer the matter to the Federal Constitutional Court, which alone can declare the fee unconstitutional.
- The case of an anonymized Bavarian plaintiff linked to the Leuchtturm ARD initiative was sent back to the Bavarian Higher Administrative Court, with presiding judge Ingo Kraft voicing doubts that her current evidence warrants referral.
- Internal program-complaint channels remain available, and observers expect politically driven suits to test the ruling, though success will likely depend on robust expert analyses and not isolated program criticisms.