Wants to fight enemies of the constitution
Faeser downplays setback to “Compact” ban
15.08.2024, 17:06
Federal Interior Minister Faeser is brushing off criticism after the suspension of the “Compact” ban. She says the process is “completely normal”. This will not change anything in her fight against enemies of the constitution. Editor-in-chief Elsässer, on the other hand, is jubilant and has high hopes.
Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose – this is how Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser comments on the Decision of the Federal Administrative Court to the “Compact” magazine and the massive criticism of her conduct in office that came with it. She will continue her fight against “enemies of the constitution,” says the SPD politician. The head of the right-wing extremist media company, Jürgen Elsässer, triumphs one day after the decision in the expedited proceedings that temporarily suspended the ban.
“The Basic Law explicitly provides for the instrument of banning associations in order to protect democracy from enemies of the constitution,” said Faeser at an appointment at Berlin’s Ostbahnhof. The minister actually came here to present a federal police contact point for female victims of domestic violence. But she also has to comment on the court defeat from the previous day. Faeser reiterated that, given the current threat situation, it is important to use these instruments of a defensive democracy. The Federal Ministry of the Interior is sticking to its opinion with regard to the main proceedings. Faeser stressed: “We will not let up in our actions against enemies of the constitution.”
The minister banned “Compact” on July 16. She justified this by saying that the paper was a “central mouthpiece of the right-wing extremist scene”. The Federal Administrative Court provisionally lifted the ban in an expedited procedure on Wednesday. It expressed doubts about the proportionality of the ban. This means that the paper can be published again for the time being under certain conditions. A final decision will be made in the main proceedings.
Faeser: “Completely normal process”
It is good that such bans are also reviewed by the courts in a constitutional state and, if necessary, corrected, says Faeser. She refers to her ministry’s ban orders from the past that have stood up in court and explains that it is positive that the court has basically confirmed that a ban on an association against a media company such as “Compact” is possible. Now they have “lost in part,” says Faeser. She adds: “It is a completely normal process.”
After the preliminary failure of the “Compact” ban, Faeser was criticized by the Union and AfD, but also by the coalition partner FDP. “The hasty decision against the “Compact” ban sheds a devastating light on Ms. Faeser’s expertise,” said the parliamentary manager of the CSU in the Bundestag, Alexander Hoffmann. FDP parliamentary group vice-chairman Konstantin Kuhle described the court’s decision as “embarrassing for the Federal Ministry of the Interior.” The “Compact” magazine could now portray itself as a victim, Kuhle told “Spiegel.” What no one is saying, but many are probably thinking, is that the defeat in court could play into the hands of the AfD in the state elections in Thuringia, Saxony and Brandenburg in September, which had unsuccessfully appealed in two instances against the classification of the entire party as a suspected right-wing extremist case. “Faeser must now resign,” demands AfD chairwoman Alice Weidel.
Editor-in-chief celebrates milestone victory
While the minister has to answer uncomfortable questions, the “Compact” boss is enjoying the moment. “Compact” has triumphed over “the authoritarian, not to say fascist, aggression of the Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser,” says Jürgen Elsässer to journalists in Berlin. And: “Yesterday was a victory of David over Goliath, a victory of democracy over the dictatorship and a victory of the people over the regime.”
The August issue, which had been held back for the time being, can now be delivered, says Elsässer. However, the publisher has not yet been able to use its usual distribution channels, as documents and equipment have been confiscated. “We have no desks, no chairs, no computers, no documents, no files. We have nothing left.”
Hope for increased circulation
However, he expects that the reach of the magazine and the station will expand. “Before Faeser’s attack, maybe two million Germans knew us. Now it’s probably 60 million.” Elsässer said: “Everyone wants this paper now.”
One of the lawyers for “Compact”, Laurens Nothdurft, assessed the chances of success in the main proceedings as “extremely high”. However, more precise information can only be given once the Federal Administrative Court’s written reasons for the decision in the expedited proceedings are available. Legal action is being taken at the state level to ensure the rapid return of the confiscated operating resources.
In any case, the officials only have a few days left to copy the contents of the media company’s documents and data storage devices. “The evidence secured for the ban on the association will also play a role in the main proceedings,” says Faeser. This is currently being evaluated.
Elsässer: Ex-NPD people wrote for us
The Federal Ministry of the Interior’s ban order published by Elsässer’s lawyers also included information about the ties of several employees to the right-wing extremist party “Die Heimat” (formerly NPD). Elsässer says that “Compact” has never had anything to do with the NPD, but also: “It is true that people who have previously or perhaps currently had dealings with the NPD have written for us.” However, they acted within the framework of the free democratic basic order. He never asks to see CVs and employment references during job interviews.
In its ban order, the Interior Ministry quoted a sentence from Elsässer, which he wanted to be understood differently. “This sentence of mine, ‘This regime must be overthrown’ is one of the most misunderstood sentences that comes out of my mouth,” he says. His explanation of the quote: He is accused of wanting to overthrow the free democratic basic order or the free democratic system. “My aim was always to restore the free democratic basic order by overthrowing the so-called regime.”