At the request of Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder (CSU), the Deggendorf public prosecutor’s office is investigating the Austrian ex-FPÖ politician Gerald Grosz for insulting him. The background to the investigations are statements made by the right-wing populist at the Political Ash Wednesday, where Grosz appeared as a guest of the AfD.
According to the public prosecutor’s office, Grosz described Söder as a “corona autocrat”, “traitor” and “Södolf” on February 22nd. He also called Federal Minister of Health Karl Lauterbach (SPD) a “virological horror clown”. The Bavarian State Chancellery reported on March 9 on behalf of Söder, the public prosecutor said. Proceedings were initiated the following day.
In a statement on Thursday, Grosz described the ad as an “incomprehensible attack on free political discourse through the judiciary”. The Austrian right-wing populist received backing from the AfD. Bavaria’s state chairman Stephan Protschka said: “In Markus Söder’s eyes, lese majesty is apparently the worst of all crimes and apparently weighs significantly more heavily than the massive restrictions on fundamental rights that he himself issued in the name of Corona.” As Prime Minister, he also had to endure biting criticism. “Freedom of opinion must be preserved at all costs, mockery and criticism are expressly part of it,” emphasized Protschka. Grosz is also welcome in Bavaria in the future.
Grosz has held several positions in Austria with the right-wing populist parties FPÖ and BZÖ. In 2022 he ran for the election for the Federal President and received 5.6 percent of the votes.