Die Linke Files Constitutional Court Challenge Over Minister’s Instagram Video

Die Linke has filed an emergency injunction with Germany’s Federal Constitutional Court against Federal Economics Minister Katherina Reiche, according to legal documents reviewed by several media outlets. The court challenge centers on an Instagram video published on the official ministry account following the party’s recent election victory in Berlin, which the party argues violates the constitutional neutrality obligation of state organs and interferes with fair political competition.

Prigge Law Firm Files Emergency Injunction in Karlsruhe

The emergency application, filed by the Cologne-based media law firm Prigge, asks the high court in Karlsruhe to intervene after the Ministry of Economics left the disputed video online.

The footage features excerpts from a September 23 speech in which Reiche warns that it is dangerous for the capital and for Germany as an investment location that a party discusses expropriation in its program and openly demonstrates antisemitism that frightens Jewish residents. In the court filing, Die Linke contends that Reiche acted unilaterally and in a partisan manner from her position as a federal minister, forming part of what the party describes as a systematic campaign by the Christian Democratic Union against them.

Escalating Warnings Ahead of the Ukraine Trip

The dispute intensified over the weekend before Reiche departed on a trip to Ukraine, when she told the Bild am Sonntag newspaper that she fears nationwide growth losses should a rot-rot-grün coalition take power in the capital.

Reiche reiterated that the policies represented by Die Linke in Berlin pose a threat to the country’s economic and investment standing. Prior to the court filing, the party’s legal counsel had issued a formal warning demanding the removal of the video by September 29, a deadline that passed without compliance.

Expanding Legal Battles Across Regional Interior Ministries

The dispute extends beyond the federal ministry, with Die Linke launching legal challenges against interior ministries in several federal states over similar social media statements.

The party took legal action against the CDU-led interior ministries of Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, Hessen, Sachsen, and Schleswig-Holstein. Out of those regional offices, the ministries in Sachsen and Schleswig-Holstein removed the contested statements from their official channels, while the ministries in Baden-Württemberg, Brandenburg, and Hessen kept their posts online.

Die Linke Sends Lawyer Letters to Other Politicians

Following their success in the Berlin elections, representatives of Die Linke have also sent lawyer’s letters to other politicians who accused the party via social media of antisemitism and proximity to criminal clans. While some politicians complied by deleting their posts, others have refused to do so, keeping legal tensions high as the constitutional court reviews the emergency injunction request.