AfD Coverage: RBB Editor-in-Chief Calls for Clear Rules

Georg Heil, editor-in-chief of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB), has called for consistent journalistic standards in covering all political parties, including the Alternative for Germany (AfD). He stated in an interview with dpa that there should be no "Lex AfD," but rather "clear rules for dealing with all parties."

Heil explained that RBB covers the AfD within the framework of "graduated equal opportunities," meaning the party receives attention proportional to its political significance. He acknowledged the AfD as "a reality, a strong opposition force with its own ideas." However, he stressed that public broadcasters have a duty to promote democracy and must critically engage with extremist positions, regardless of their origin, without providing them a platform.

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We need no Lex AfD, but clear rules for dealing with all parties.

This discussion comes as the AfD shows increasing support in opinion polls. Upcoming state elections in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, along with the election for the House of Representatives in Berlin, are significant for the party. Recent polls suggest the AfD could become the third-strongest force in Berlin.

In response to potential electoral success, the AfD's top candidate in Saxony-Anhalt, Ulrich Siegmund, has stated that one of their first actions would be to terminate the media state treaty, which forms the legal basis for public broadcasting in Germany. The party has a history of criticizing the amount of broadcasting contributions.

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We have the mandate to promote democracy; against this background, we must not build a stage for the opponents of democracy – no matter from which direction they come.