A German court has ruled that calling (now former) economy minister Robert Habeck (Greens) a “complete idiot” falls within the bounds of lawful free speech, rejecting an insult charge filed under the country’s criminal code.
The case is based on a post on X, in which a user wrote about Habeck: “A complete idiot who always found patriotism disgusting and is destroying our country.” The comment triggered an investigation, but the accused fought back and was ultimately acquitted by the Passau District Court.
According to the court, the statement was a form of “pointed criticism in the context of Habeck’s economic policy,” and did not meet the legal threshold for defamation or insult.
The ruling comes amid a broader trend in German politics, where prominent figures increasingly turn to courts to curtail free speech and attack those who criticize them online. Between 2021 and August 2023, former Vice Chancellor Habeck filed over 800 complaints related to hate speech and insults. Then-Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock filed around 500 during the same period. FDP politician (now MEP) Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann has reportedly filed nearly 2,000 complaints in recent years.
