The German court overturns a ban on the far -right compact magazine

The Leipzig court overturned a ban imposed by the German government on the influential far -right Compact magazine.

The decision is considered by some as a blow to Germany’s struggle against right -wing extremism, although others may be evidence of high standards of freedom of speech of the country.

In July 2024, the German Ministry of the Interior banned the magazine, arguing that it undermined the German constitution with rhetoric that attacked the minorities.

“This is the central mouthpiece on the right extremist scene,” said German Interior Minister Nancy Fasser at the time. “This magazine prompts indescribable hatred against Jews, against people with migration experience and against our parliamentary democracy.”

The magazine is linked to the German Party’s far -right alternative (AFD) and was previously classified by German internal intelligence as a right extremist.

On Tuesday, the ruling judges accepted that the magazine was publishing anti -constitutional content, but decided that this did not justify a ban.

Many Compact statements can be regarded as “exaggerated but admissible criticism”, before the court, a presiding judge Igo Kraft. “The Constitution guarantees the freedom of expression and the freedom of the press, even to the enemies of the Constitution.”

Following the announcement, COMPACT editor -in -chief Jurgen Elsasser, who described his magazine as “a democracy attack gun,” said the decision would also help the AFD party. If his magazine cannot be banned, then AFD cannot, he said.

There is a fierce debate in Germany whether to try to ban AFD, who is also classified as a right extremist from German intelligence. Even many AFD critics say that the ban can be counterproductive by playing in the victim’s victim’s story.

In the last year, German officials have banned or tried to ban a number of anti -constitutional organizations, some related to the far -right extremist groups. AFD activists and far -right activists say they are muffled by a depressing state.

Some supporters of Donald Trump have also accused Germany of suppressing freedom of expression. At the Munich Security Conference in February US Vice President JD Vance stunned European employees with a bladder attack against Germanyaccusing the main politicians of excluding AFD from politics and for anti -democratic restriction on freedom of expression.

In fact, AFD politicians are a major part of German television talks and have equal debates about mass parties in the German Parliament.

Due to the experience of Germany from the 20th century by oppressive Nazi and communist totalitarian regimes, there are great obstacles to limit speech and ban publications and organizations.

Cases are often taken to court and, as in this decision, overturned by the judges. The decision to allow the government to the Extreme Right Magazine Compact.