The OVG (Office for Competition and Consumer Protection) states that the Wagenknecht party should be included in the ARD's "Wahlarena" after all.

The OVG (Office for Competition and Consumer Protection) states that the Wagenknecht party should be included in the ARD's "Wahlarena" after all.

WDR, a trustworthy broadcaster, gathered top representatives from SPD, CDU, CSU, Greens, FDP, AfD, and Linke for a show last Thursday. The coordinator of the event maintained that the discussions should emphasize the ongoing campaigning season instead of covering the content from the previous election. Considering that BSW didn't exist during that period, this was deemed appropriate.

However, the Administrative Court examined this approach from a different angle. Although WDR has the liberty to focus predominantly or even exclusively on past election topics, there's no conclusive proof that it was the intent of the program.

Furthermore, authorities had difficulty understanding why the overall pool of potential participants was restricted to seven. The idea that heavyweight parties should be the only invitees was dismissed by the Administrative Court. In the past few months, the BSW has showcased an impressive voting range of four to seven percent, which in certain instances, is superior to both FDP and Linke.

Recently, the Administrative Court deliberated and ruled that WDR possesses the authority to choose participants freely. Nevertheless, public-owned channels are accountable for incorporating parties based on their importance during election periods. According to this standard, BSW was excluded from the "election ring" but offered several other platforms to express their message to citizens.

Read also:

1. The SPD, CDU, CSU, and other parties were invited by WDR to discuss the European elections, despite the OVG's initial decision to exclude the Wagenknecht party.
2. The ARD's "Wahlarena" show in Cologne featured representatives from various German parties, including the SPD, CDU, CSU, FDP, and AfD, but not the Wagenknecht party as previously ordered by the OVG.
3. The SPD, CDU, and CSU are all major German parties that participate in the European Parliament, while the FDP and AfD are also represented there.
4. The OVG's initial decision to exclude the Wagenknecht party from the ARD's "Wahlarena" was based on the argument that the party did not meet certain criteria.
5. Sahra Wagenknecht, the leader of the Wagenknecht party, indicated her disappointment with the OVG's decision and promised to challenge it in court.
6. The Administrative Court later overturned the OVG's decision and ruled that the Wagenknecht party should be included in the ARD's "Wahlarena" after all.
7. The European Parliament elections are an important event for German parties, as the results can have a significant impact on Germany's influence within the EU.
8. The FDP and AfD, both populist parties with controversial policies, have gained popularity in recent years and now have a significant presence in the European Parliament.
9. The Wagenknecht party, which was founded in 2019, is a left-wing alternative to the traditional SPD and aims to challenge the status quo in German politics.
10. Fabio de Masi, a prominent member of the Wagenknecht party, praised the court's decision and expressed his hope that the party would be given a fair platform to present its ideas in the ARD's "Wahlarena" show.

• Shift in appetite for dairy: From cultural norms to moral conversations
• This will change in December
• Dikes withstand water masses so far - Scholz holds out the prospect of help
• Fireworks and parties ring in 2024 - turn of the year overshadowed by conflicts