German prosecutors have dropped a criminal investigation into a pensioner who called Chancellor Friedrich Merz “Pinocchio” on Facebook, ruling that the remark was protected political speech.
The case began in October during Merz’s visit to Heilbronn, when local police posted online about a temporary flight restriction. The post drew nearly 400 comments. In response, officers forwarded 38 of them to prosecutors to examine whether they amounted to criminal insults under Section 188 of the German Criminal Code, which provides special protections for elected officials.
Among those reported was a pensioner who described the chancellor as “Pinocchio,” adding a long-nose emoji. He was investigated on suspicion of insult before the Heilbronn public prosecutor’s office concluded that the comment amounted to “permissible criticism of power” safeguarded by freedom of expression.
In his formal response, the pensioner argued that the remark was “an ambiguous, symbolic and satirical expression of opinion in a political context.” Prosecutors agreed, noting that a separate case involving the same term had been dismissed on identical grounds.
The decision closes the case against the pensioner—but the fact that dozens of online comments were referred for possible criminal prosecution has reignited debate over how far Germany’s political insult laws should reach in policing speech directed at those in power.
