Overview
- Welt am Sonntag reporting, cited by Junge Freiheit, says Merz signed 4,999 criminal-complaint filings routed through the private firm So done, with the firm allegedly retaining half of compensation payments despite Merz’s prior claim of donating the full amounts.
- The Federal Chancellery told Neues Deutschland that since Merz took office there have been more than 140 contact attempts by police and prosecutors over allegedly criminal statements, while stating Merz has not filed personal complaints in these instances.
- The BKA reported 5,155 cases categorized under §188 StGB and 4,439 entries in the police crime statistics for the year’s first nine months, and said the ‘Hessen gegen Hetze’ platform accounted for about 92 percent of §188 referrals to the ZMI.
- Courts and prosecutors have pushed back in several matters, with the Stuttgart regional court declaring one house search unlawful and multiple investigations or cases being discontinued on grounds of protected expression or minor guilt.
- Transparency fights are escalating as Der Tagesspiegel sues to obtain details on the Chancellery’s contacts with law enforcement, while additional case outcomes include a Bochum fine and at least one dismissal involving activist Tadzio Müller.