A former German justice minister has expressed concern over the increasing number of lawsuits and criminal charges filed against politicians, warning that the trend could stifle the political discourse. Sabine Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger, a member of the Free Democratic Party, believes that politicians should be allowed to express themselves freely, even if their words may be perceived as harsh or unpolished.
In an interview with the German magazine Focus, Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger stated that many minor issues are being taken to court, while only serious violations of personal rights should be pursued. She fears that the current legal environment is stifling the political debate, as politicians are now more likely to self-censor their words to avoid potential legal repercussions.
The former minister also criticized the recent development of the law on politician defamation, which she believes is unnecessary and could be used to suppress legitimate political criticism. Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger argued that political debate should be allowed to be robust and that politicians should not be shielded from criticism simply because of their office.
Furthermore, Leutheusser-Schnarrenberger criticized the actions of her former colleague, Nancy Faeser, the former interior minister, who had ordered a report on the far-right Alternative for Germany party (AfD) to be published just before leaving office. The former minister described the timing as “unfortunate” and “politically not right”, implying that Faeser’s successor should not be burdened with such a sensitive issue.