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Leipzig Court to Rule on 'Compact' Magazine Ban on June 24

The decision will shape Germany’s approach to balancing free speech with extremism laws

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Overview

  • Judges held two days of hearings on June 10–11 to assess whether ‘Compact’s content and organizational ties justify upholding the 2024 ban.
  • The interior ministry accuses the magazine of promoting an ethnic German identity and publishing calls for “revolution” and “remigration” linked to extremist figure Martin Sellner.
  • Editor-in-chief Jürgen Elsässer maintains that ‘Compact’ is a legitimate press outlet protected by free speech and says he distances the publication from Sellner’s most radical ideas.
  • The German Journalists’ Association warns that a full ban on a media outlet could set a restrictive precedent and advocates for targeted measures over a blanket prohibition.
  • The June 24 verdict will either reinstate the ban, rendering ‘Compact’ immediately illegal, or allow it to continue publishing despite any non-suspensive appeal to the Constitutional Court.