Advertising for politicians and parties may only be placed within a legally regulated framework. This legal framework is defined by the Media Transparency Act. For example, advertisements by public authorities must be purely informative and may not exceed the absolutely necessary scope.
Due to the Media Transparency Act, government bodies, in particular, must truthfully disclose advertising placements. In the event of a violation of the publication obligation or false reporting, penalties of up to 20,000.00 Euros may be imposed.
“Head Advertising Ban” for Politicians
The so-called “Head Advertising Ban” for politicians states that public authorities may not engage in any image cultivation through advertising. Public authorities may only use advertising for factual information. Furthermore, advertisements must be clearly marked as such.
Furthermore, publications by public bodies may only address tasks that fall within the scope of responsibility of the legal entity. Permissible publications include, for example:
- legal provisions,
- service offerings of the legal entity, and
- information that is in the public interest.
Self-promotion for government members or representatives of public institutions via advertisements is therefore prohibited.
