Politico: Friedrich Merz’s revenge

Politico: Friedrich Merz’s revenge

"Friedrich Merz, the German conservative vying to become the next chancellor, doesn’t take kindly to criticism. Just ask his lawyers. (...)

On December 6, Fabio De Masi, deputy leader of the Left party’s parliamentary group in the Bundestag, sent a tweet that accused Merz of “voting against criminalizing rape in marriage.” The tweet was a reference to landmark rape legislation debated for 25 years and passed in 1997, when Merz was an MP. The aim of the law was to lift barriers for wives seeking protection from their husbands. (...)

After sending De Masi a cease-and-desist demand, which the MP declined to comply with, Merz asked a court in Frankfurt to issue an injunction against De Masi to prevent him from making the claim. (...)

De Masi, whose original tweet was liked 17,000 times, called the court’s action “a cold shower” for Merz in his bid to become chancellor. (...)"