Demonstrations were held outside the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig on Wednesday as a trial began of a Bavarian woman who is suing Germany’s public broadcaster for bias and refusing to pay the compulsory broadcasting fee.
The plaintiff claims that ARD and ZDF provide one-sided political reporting, and thus, the annual license fee is not justified.
The high-profile case has drawn protests and public attention, with protesters calling for the abolition of the “propaganda tax.”
As reported by Die Welt, the Bavarian woman accused public broadcasting of failing to meet its legal mandate for diversity and balance and instead acts as “an agent of the dominant state power in shaping public opinion.”
She also criticized the independence of supervisory bodies, describing the complaint system available to viewers as ineffective and biased in favor of the broadcasters.
Lower courts had already dismissed her lawsuit, but Germany’s highest administrative court allowed the case to proceed because of its “fundamental importance.” Chairing Wednesday’s hearing, Judge Ingo Kraft stressed that only systemic shortcomings across the entire programming spectrum, not individual broadcasts, could constitute a breach of mandate.
Bayerischer Rundfunk, the defendant, rejected the accusations. Its representatives insisted that program complaints are taken seriously and that regular internal review ensures broadcasters fulfill their role. “No one wants to indoctrinate anyone,” the broadcaster’s lawyer said.
The courtroom in Leipzig was packed with about 250 observers, while another 100 protesters demonstrated outside carrying banners such as “Abolish the propaganda tax” and “No more lies and deceit.” The plaintiff herself was not present, but her case was presented by lawyers alongside Jimmy Gerum, founder of the “Bürgerinitiative Leuchtturm ARD” initiative.
„Wir sind am wunden Punkt unserer unaufrichtigen Demokratie angelangt.”
Jimmy Gerum, Initiator der Bürgerinitiative Leuchtturm ARD, spricht nach der Revisionsverhandlung gegen den ÖRR vor dem Bundesverwaltungsgericht in Leipzig von den langfristigen Zielen und davon, dass wir… pic.twitter.com/8d7TBqd6So
— dieBasis (@diebasispartei) October 1, 2025Speaking about the initiative, Gerum said in a recent interview, “Things have gotten really heated. And in that sense, we’ve already achieved our main goal, which is to touch on a sore spot in our currently dishonest democracy. I’m grateful that the grassroots fully stand for core values such as limiting power and direct democracy. These are crucial elements for moving democracy forward.”
The court will deliver its decision on Oct. 15.
