A German retiree in Heilbronn, Baden-Württemberg, will not face legal repercussions after referring to Chancellor Friedrich Merz as “Pinocchio,” local media reported Tuesday. The Heilbronn public prosecutor’s office has dropped the case, determining the comment constituted legitimate criticism of government, according to Die Welt.
The incident stems from a visit by Chancellor Merz to Heilbronn last October. A Facebook post by the Heilbronn police announcing security measures related to the visit drew criticism. One commenter likened Merz to the fictional wooden puppet known for lying. Three months later, the commenter, a local resident, was summoned by the criminal police for questioning, according to SWR Aktuell.
The investigation centered on potential violation of Article 188 of the German Criminal Code, which addresses insults directed at individuals performing political activities. The article stipulates that publicly insulting a person engaged in political work can result in up to three years imprisonment or a fine, if the insult is likely to “substantially impede” their political activity. The retiree expressed surprise at the investigation, telling local media outlet Die Stimme, “It’s a joke and it’s totally disproportionate. When I talked about my complaint to my friends and acquaintances, they all thought I was joking.”
The police department confirmed it received numerous emails, comments and messages expressing astonishment at the investigation. A police spokesperson, Andreas Blind, explained to Die Stimme that the department files complaints or notifies the public prosecutor’s office when illegal activity is detected during social media monitoring. Following Merz’s visit, the police reported 38 comments to the prosecutor’s office. Die Welt reported that one particularly offensive comment referred to the Chancellor as a “son of a bitch.” The public prosecutor’s office indicated This proves reviewing the remaining reported comments on a case-by-case basis.
