BERLIN: A German court on Tuesday overturned a ban on the far-right Compact magazine which had been imposed by the government last year.
The Federal Administrative Court said in its decision that while the magazine had published some “anti-constitutional” material, the conditions for a ban had not been met.
Presiding judge Ingo Kraft said that much of the magazine’s output fell into the category of “exaggerated but permissible criticism”.
The previous interior minister, Nancy Faeser, issued the ban on Compact in July 2024, saying that it promoted “unspeakable incitement against Jews, people with an immigrant background and against our parliamentary democracy”.
Compact reacted jubilantly to the court ruling, saying on its X account that the verdict was a “resounding slap in the face” for Faeser and a victory for “press freedom”.
German law allows for the interior ministry to ban an organisation if it deems it to be acting against the constitutional order.
In 2021, the company that owns Compact had already been described by German domestic intelligence as “extremist, nationalist and hostile to minorities”.
Run by the far-right journalist Juergen Elsaesser, Compact described its editorial line as “patriotic”.
Compact has published articles supporting the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, castigating “climate terrorists” and advocating for “peace and friendship” with Russia.
