Brandenburg’s FDP state leader Zyon Braun will not be present at the RBB TV round with the top candidates before the state election. The FDP Brandenburg ultimately failed in its attempt to sue its way into the TV show. The Higher Administrative Court of Berlin-Brandenburg (OVG) rejected an appeal against the decision of the Administrative Court of Potsdam, the court announced (ref.: OVG 3 S 103/24). The decision was made last Friday.
Court has no concerns about RBB concept
According to the concept of Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (RBB), only top candidates from parties that are already represented in the state parliament or that, according to surveys, will clear the five percent hurdle in the state election are allowed to take part in the program. The Potsdam Administrative Court had ruled that the public broadcaster is not obliged to invite FDP top candidate Zyon Braun to the program “rbb 24 – Your Choice: The Candidate Check” on Tuesday.
According to the OVG, the RBB’s concept is not constitutionally objectionable. The editorial design of the program is covered by broadcasting freedom and does not violate the FDP regional association’s right to equal opportunities in reporting before an election.
FDP misses five percent hurdle in polls
The FDP, which is currently not represented in the state parliament and falls below the necessary five percent hurdle in polls, will be adequately taken into account in the RBB’s overall concept for pre-election reporting, the court declared. The decision is final.
In the most recent surveys, such as the ZDF Politbarometer Extra by the research group Wahlen and the Brandenburg Trend for the ARD by Infratest dimap, the FDP was not listed individually.
FDP speaks of “scandal”
The RBB had pointed out that there was currently no realistic chance of the FDP entering the Brandenburg state parliament. However, in the concept of election reporting, the FDP appears in various other formats with its positions and personalities – on television, radio and the Internet.
FDP state leader Braun considers it a “scandal” that the Liberals were not invited to the RBB TV round with the top candidates. Federal chairman Christian Lindner also intervened in the dispute and spoke of exclusion.
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