Trial in Bavaria
Söder insult: fine against ex-politician Grosz
The Austrian ex-politician Gerald Grosz wants to go to the Federal Constitutional Court if necessary. photo
© Armin Weigel/dpa
Will politicians have to restrain themselves in future speeches on Ash Wednesday? The Austrian ex-politician Grosz defends his verbal attacks as satire. The court still convicts him.
After his verbal attacks against CSU leader Markus Söder during the AfD’s political Ash Wednesday, the Deggendorf district court has imposed a fine on the Austrian ex-politician Gerald Grosz imposed. The insult brought Söder “close to the National Socialist regime,” said the judge on Monday when announcing the verdict in Deggendorf. Accordingly, Grosz should pay a fine of 90 daily rates of 165 euros, i.e. 14,850 euros.
The judgment can be appealed, so it is not yet legally binding. Grosz announced that he wanted to appeal and, if necessary, go to the Federal Constitutional Court.
Grosz described Bavaria’s Prime Minister as “Södolf”, “Corona autocrat” and “traitor” in February 2023 in Osterhofen, Lower Bavaria. He called Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach (SPD) a “horror clown”. The district court therefore initially issued a penalty order against Grosz in September for alleged insult and imposed a fine of 90 daily rates of 400 euros, i.e. 36,000 euros. But the 47-year-old didn’t accept that.
Grosz defended his choice of words in court as “satire.” His lawyers also saw the statements as covered by freedom of expression in the context of political Ash Wednesday. A lawyer describes the Bavarian Prime Minister’s ad as an “attack by Markus Söder on political Ash Wednesday.” Freedom of expression and speeches on Ash Wednesday deserve special protection.
Grosz also denied the accusation that was initially made against him of carrying a knife and thus violating the right to assembly. He only had a bottle opener with him. Only one day of proceedings was scheduled for the proceedings against the former FPÖ and BZÖ politician. FPÖ and BZÖ – like the AfD in Germany – are right-wing populist and Eurocritical parties in Austria.