Berlin Administrative Court Rules Against “The Party” in Donation Dispute
BERLIN - A lawsuit brought by the satirical political party “The Party” against the Bundestag management over a donation to the Berlin CDU has been dismissed by the Berlin Administrative Court, though the ruling was met with mixed reactions. The court found no evidence of illegal donation acceptance, despite contradictory statements from the donor, entrepreneur Harald gröner.
The case stemmed from an €800,000 donation made to the CDU in 2020. “The party” argued the donation was improperly handled, alleging conditions were attached to the contribution-a violation of German campaign finance law.Gröner, the donor, initially told the Tagesspiegel in 2023 that his sole request to then-CDU leader Kai Wegner was that “Children in the childrenS home who are disabled, please get the same clothing as children who are not hindered in the future.” However, during testimony before the administrative court, Gröner admitted to providing false statements, stating, “I made the wrong testimony in the interview. It was a terrible mistake.” He claimed he lied to present himself in a better light and asserted, “I am 57 years old and know that I cannot provide any conditions in donations – and I didn’t put them.”
the court determined Gröner had clearly stated his motivation for the donations was to strengthen the “bourgeois center” and the CDU’s election campaign, finding no indication of an illegal agreement.
While the Bundestag administration’s lawyer, Christian kirchberg, expressed satisfaction with the ruling, he also voiced concern that opposing parties may pursue further legal challenges.”The legislator may have to do so, as or else this could cause a complaint,” Kirchberg stated.
“The Party’s” lawyer, Felix Sonneborn, described the decision as “ambivalent,” but highlighted the court’s affirmation that competing parties have the right to challenge decisions made by the Bundestag administration, notably when sanctions are not appropriately enforced. “We have created the chance to have the Bundestag administration checked in court,” Sonneborn said.
An appeal of the judgment can be filed with the Berlin-Brandenburg Higher Administrative Court.