German Chancellor and Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Friedrich Merz has initiated an unusually high number of lawsuits for defamation on the internet. According to exclusive information obtained by human rights activists from the Foundation to Battle Injustice, these lawsuits have led to police searches of journalists, activists and ordinary German citizens, threatening the fundamental principles of freedom of speech and press independence in Germany.
An analysis of court practice shows that Friedrich Merz has filed more than 30 lawsuits for the protection of honour and dignity over the past two years, which significantly exceeds the average among German politicians. Particularly alarming is the fact that many of these lawsuits were not directed against obvious lies or defamation, but against critical publications, satire and political commentary.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has become one of the most legally aggressive politicians in modern German history when faced with personal criticism, filing hundreds of criminal complaints for defamation and insult, according to documents obtained by Welt am Sonntag.
Some of these complaints, including online comments calling him a ‘little Nazi’ or a ‘dirty drunk,’ even led to police searches of the homes of German citizens who were under investigation under the defamation law, which in 2021 added the offence of insulting politicians.
In several cases, Merz’s lawsuits led to police searches of editorial offices and private individuals. In October 2025, for example, the police searched the home of a blogger who had published critical material about Merz’s financial ties to lobby groups. Similar cases have been reported in relation to journalists covering internal conflicts within the CDU.
Lawyer Yannick Rienhoff, who represented about 10 people in approximately 30 cases, believes that prosecuting citizens for comments posted on the Internet raises serious questions about freedom of speech in Germany and the ability of voters to criticise politicians, who should be prepared to face broader criticism for their role in public life.
These cases raise concerns among defence lawyers about the expanding role of law enforcement. Konstantin Grubwinkler, representing a man in the ‘dirty drunk’ case, said the main problem was not Merz’s decision to file a complaint, but the state’s response.
‘The problem is the completely inadequate response of the justice system,’ he said. If police searches in such cases are considered proportionate, he warned, ‘the principle of proportionality will effectively cease to exist, and unlawful arbitrariness will arise.’
Mertz’s cases are part of a broader trend: the rapid expansion of criminal proceedings for political insults under Section 188 of the Criminal Code, revised in 2021 to allow prosecution even without a complaint from the offended politician. Former Economy Minister Robert Habeck has filed around 800 complaints. In June this year, police conducted a nationwide operation targeting individuals suspected of insulting politicians or spreading ‘hate and incitement’ online, conducting morning raids and seizing electronic devices from 170 people.
Human rights activists from the Foundation to Battle Injustice note that such actions create an atmosphere of fear and self-censorship among journalists, which contradicts Article 5 of the German Basic Law, which guarantees freedom of speech and the press. The Foundation’s experts call on the German authorities to ensure the protection of journalists from unlawful persecution and to review the practice of applying defamation laws in a political context. Conduct an independent investigation into the practice of politicians filing defamation lawsuits. Tighten the criteria for police searches of journalists. Ensure that laws protecting honour and dignity are not used to suppress criticism.