German law against insulting foreign leaders to go
January 25, 2017
Germany is ditching a law specifically protecting heads of state and government against insults, after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan tried to sue a prominent satirist. Slander and libel laws still apply.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. von Jutrczenka
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Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet decided on Wednesday to abolish the rarely enforced section of the criminal code by January 1, 2018.
"The idea of 'lese majeste' dates back to a long-gone era, it no longer belongs in our criminal law," Justice Minister Heiko Maas (pictured above) said. "The regulation is obsolete and unnecessary," he added.
Erdogan vs. Böhmermman: 10 world politicians targeted by satire
German satirist Jan Böhmermann has sparked debates on freedom of speech in Germany with his snide video on Turkish President Erdogan. Here are other politicians around the world who've inspired parody - including Merkel.
Image: ZDF Neo Magazin Royale
Angela Merkel
As bailouts for the Greek debt crisis were negotiated, Angela Merkel was often depicted in Greek magazines wearing Nazi symbols. This cover from the satirical magazine "Mystiki Ellada," from 2012, does not explicitly do so, but does portray the chancellor wearing a World War II army uniform and a vulture on her shoulder. The German government never considered any legal claims for such depictions.
Image: picture-alliance/Rolf Haid
Donald Trump
The controversial potential Republican US presidential candidate Donald Trump is often the target of cartoons and satire. The real estate mogul is not exactly open to criticism. Last Sunday (10.04.2016), "The Boston Globe" published a parody front page showing the world under his presidency. Trump shot back calling the story "stupid" and "worthless."
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/The Boston Globe
Vladimir Putin
Russian President Vladimir Putin likes to show off his muscles on holiday photos. After he let the world see a picture of himself riding a horse bare-chested, Putin's presidential torso was also emphasized in satirical representations - such as here, during a Carnival parade in Dusseldorf in 2015.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/R. Weihrauch
Kim Jong-un
The communist ruler of North Korea really doesn't appreciate being at the center of a joke. Upon the planned release of the satirical movie "The Interview," depicting a fictional interview with the North Korean leader and CIA plans to assassinate him, hackers attacked Sony Pictures studios. The FBI determined that the North Korean government was behind the cyber attacks.
There's a long tradition of poking fun at top politicians: This British cartoon from 1915 portrays Winston Churchill, then Secretary of the Navy, as a decadent Achilles during the Trojan War. The drawing criticized the failures of his leadership during the Battle of Gallipoli in the Dardanelles.
Image: picture-alliance/akg-images
George W. Bush
The 43rd president of the United States was one of the most reliable suppliers of jokes for late-night comedians in the US. Cartoons often underlined his alleged lack of intelligence. Satirists recently jumped on the opportunity to ridicule him once again when he revealed he had turned to painting.
Image: Getty Images/M. Tama
Jaroslaw Kaczynski
A float at this year's Carnival parade in Dusseldorf sparked diplomatic tensions between Poland and Germany. It depicted Poland as a battered woman trampled by the boot of the leader of the right-wing Law and Justice Party, Jaroslaw Kaczynski. The Polish Foreign Minister said that it showed "contempt for the Polish people and Polish politicians."
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/F. Gambarini
Benjamin Netanyahu
The Israeli prime minister with the unmistakable deep voice is regularly lampooned by the comedians of the TV show "Eretz Nehederet" ("A Wonderful Country"). The weekly satirical television show is one of the most popular in Israel. Netanyahu was never publically offended by the parodies. On the contrary, "Bibi," as he's nicknamed, was even a guest star of the show in 2013.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/J. Guez
Ayatollah Khomeini
Just like Jan Böhmermann, the Dutch-born entertainer Rudi Carrell, who lived in Germany, created a diplomatic controversy in 1987 with a photo montage showing the leader of Iranian Revolution, Ayatollah Khomeini, being pelted with lingerie during a state visit. As a result, two German diplomats were expelled from Tehran.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/I. Wagner
Erdogan and Böhmermann
It is still to be seen if Jan Böhmermann's provocative poem on Erdogan will lead to a similar diplomatic crisis as back in 1987 with Iran. One thing is for sure, it is not the first time that political satire has led to tensions between countries - and the ways of dealing with it are just as varied as the ruler's political style.
Image: ZDF Neo Magazin Royale
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Insulted foreign leaders will still be able to pursue their own libel and defamation cases. The main difference between the laws was the extent of the sentence, insulting a political leader could carry up to three years in jail while ordinary libel or slander can carry a one-year jail sentence or a fine.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2016 asked the German government to authorize an investigation into prominent TV satirist Jan Böhmermann using the law. Chancellor Angela Merkel approved the request, to considerable criticism, although prosecutors ultimately dropped the case in November, saying there was insufficient evidence of wrongdoing.
Böhmermann performed what he called a "smear poem" on his weekly show on public broadcaster ZDF. The comedian said beforehand that the poem was designed to show the difference between legitimate criticism and genuine insults, a satirical response to the thousands of "lese majeste" cases Erdogan was pursuing in Turkey and abroad. It included claims that Erdogan watched child pornography and had sex with animals.
The row damaged Berlin-Ankara relations at a time when Turkey was central to EU plans to stop the mass flow of migrants from the Middle East and Africa.
