International News Opinons Politics

German Federal Council Passes Bill Giving Three Years in Prison for Denigrating EU Flag

The German Bundesrat, the upper chamber of the German parliament, has proposed banning Germans from denigrating both the European Union flag and anthem.

The Bundesrat, which is composed of delegates from the German states, passed a bill that could see individuals who either denigrate the EU flag or the EU anthem, Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy”, punished with a fine or up to three years in prison, Die Welt reports.

German newspaper Saarbrücken Zeitung obtained a draft of the law earlier this year that urged law enforcement agencies “to take firm and effective action against those whose aim is to disparage the fundamental values ​​of the European Union”.


The draft continued, stating that violations would also cover attacks “on the reputation of the symbols of the European Union”.


The Truth Behind MTG’s Resignation Date Is Exactly the Reason Why Conservatives Don’t Trust Politicians
Deep Dive: ‘Record Breaking’ Tax Refunds Expected For Americans in 2026 Thanks to ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
New Orleans not taking crime ‘seriously enough,’ says carjacking victim’s daughter as federal operation looms
Crockett Cries Racism Over Criticism of Democrat Who Colluded with Epstein Against Trump
Leaked Public School Teacher Union Training Exposes Plans to Undermine Parents, Indoctrinate Students with Gender, Race Ideology
Anna Kepner dies mysteriously during family vacation on Carnival cruise ship: Timeline of events
Doubling Down: Top House Democrat says focus on high prices ‘absolutely going to continue’
WATCH: Democrats struggle to defend Schumer after shutdown ends with few wins
North Carolina driver says bald eagle dropped cat through her windshield: ‘You may not believe me’
Multiple Chicago police officers attacked in downtown violence in which several victims were shot
It won’t get any better: Washington faces another looming government shutdown
Trump terminates deportation protections for Somali nationals living in Minnesota ‘effective immediately’
Breaking: Marjorie Taylor Greene to Resign from Congress Following Trump Feud
Texas files emergency Supreme Court petition after Trump-backed congressional map blocked by federal judges
Florida to use hundreds of confiscated Chinese drones as target practice for US military
See also  Mia Cathell testifies on anti-ICE uprisings at Senate judiciary hearing

The newly passed bill must now be ratified by the Bundestag, although no date for a vote on the matter has been scheduled so far.

Germany has laws on the books that outlaw the denigration of foreign flags and national emblems but so far, the European Union’s flag and symbols have not been recognised under the laws.


The Truth Behind MTG’s Resignation Date Is Exactly the Reason Why Conservatives Don’t Trust Politicians
Deep Dive: ‘Record Breaking’ Tax Refunds Expected For Americans in 2026 Thanks to ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
New Orleans not taking crime ‘seriously enough,’ says carjacking victim’s daughter as federal operation looms
Crockett Cries Racism Over Criticism of Democrat Who Colluded with Epstein Against Trump
Leaked Public School Teacher Union Training Exposes Plans to Undermine Parents, Indoctrinate Students with Gender, Race Ideology
Anna Kepner dies mysteriously during family vacation on Carnival cruise ship: Timeline of events
Doubling Down: Top House Democrat says focus on high prices ‘absolutely going to continue’
WATCH: Democrats struggle to defend Schumer after shutdown ends with few wins
North Carolina driver says bald eagle dropped cat through her windshield: ‘You may not believe me’
Multiple Chicago police officers attacked in downtown violence in which several victims were shot
It won’t get any better: Washington faces another looming government shutdown
Trump terminates deportation protections for Somali nationals living in Minnesota ‘effective immediately’
Breaking: Marjorie Taylor Greene to Resign from Congress Following Trump Feud
Texas files emergency Supreme Court petition after Trump-backed congressional map blocked by federal judges
Florida to use hundreds of confiscated Chinese drones as target practice for US military
See also  Why the socialist mayor-elect of Seattle didn’t earn the DSA’s endorsement

The country also has laws against insulting foreign heads of state, a law that nearly saw the prosecution of left-wing comedian Jan Böhmermann in 2016 over an offensive poem about Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan that was later banned by a German court.

While charges were initiated against Böhmermann, they were later dropped, with Chancellor Angela Merkel even admitting that she had made an “error” in viewing the poem as “deliberately insulting”.

In neighbouring France, the government has forced schools across the country to start flying the EU flag alongside the French tricolore.

The move was part of educational reforms enacted by French president Emmanuel Macron that also lowered the age of compulsory school entry from six to three years old.


The Truth Behind MTG’s Resignation Date Is Exactly the Reason Why Conservatives Don’t Trust Politicians
Deep Dive: ‘Record Breaking’ Tax Refunds Expected For Americans in 2026 Thanks to ‘Big Beautiful Bill’
New Orleans not taking crime ‘seriously enough,’ says carjacking victim’s daughter as federal operation looms
Crockett Cries Racism Over Criticism of Democrat Who Colluded with Epstein Against Trump
Leaked Public School Teacher Union Training Exposes Plans to Undermine Parents, Indoctrinate Students with Gender, Race Ideology
Anna Kepner dies mysteriously during family vacation on Carnival cruise ship: Timeline of events
Doubling Down: Top House Democrat says focus on high prices ‘absolutely going to continue’
WATCH: Democrats struggle to defend Schumer after shutdown ends with few wins
North Carolina driver says bald eagle dropped cat through her windshield: ‘You may not believe me’
Multiple Chicago police officers attacked in downtown violence in which several victims were shot
It won’t get any better: Washington faces another looming government shutdown
Trump terminates deportation protections for Somali nationals living in Minnesota ‘effective immediately’
Breaking: Marjorie Taylor Greene to Resign from Congress Following Trump Feud
Texas files emergency Supreme Court petition after Trump-backed congressional map blocked by federal judges
Florida to use hundreds of confiscated Chinese drones as target practice for US military

Story cited here.

See also  Republicans facing ‘worst-case scenario’ in redistricting war as midterm elections near
Share this article:
Share on Facebook
Facebook
Tweet about this on Twitter
Twitter