AfD official files incitement complaint against entertainer Hape Kerkeling

An AfD official has filed a criminal complaint for incitement of the people (Volksverhetzung) against the popular German entertainer Hape Kerkeling, Tagesspiegel reported on October 1, 2026. The complaint, lodged with the prosecutor's office, concerns recent public statements by Kerkeling in which he sharply criticised the party and compared parts of its programme to historical fascism. The AfD politician argues the remarks constitute hate speech against members of the party. Legal experts quoted in the article consider the chances of the complaint leading to charges very slim: criticism of a political party is generally covered by freedom of opinion, and § 130 of the German criminal code targets attacks on specific population groups rather than parties. Kerkeling's management has not commented on the complaint. The story has set off a wider debate about the growing use of criminal complaints as a political tool against artists, cabaret performers and journalists in Germany.