Berlin Administrative Court: Lawsuit against CDU donation could have consequences!

Berlin Administrative Court: Lawsuit against CDU donation could have consequences!

A case is currently being heard at the Berlin Administrative Court that is bringing the CDU and its financing practices into the center of public attention. On September 30, 2025, an oral hearing took place in the case VG 2 K 78/24, in which the “Party for Labor, the Rule of Law, Animal Protection, Elite Promotion and Grassroots Democratic Initiative” (THE PARTEI) is suing the President of the German Bundestag. The dispute revolves around the sanctioning of the CDU due to two large donations that flowed to the party's Berlin regional association in 2020, amounting to around 800,000 euros.

The plaintiff argues that these donations are inadmissible expected donations because the real estate entrepreneur Christoph Gröner and his company transferred them before the 2021 House of Representatives election. In his public statements, Gröner gave the impression that he expected something in return for the donation. However, both Gröner and the governing mayor Kai Wegner rejected the allegations of influence.

Legal dispute over equal opportunities

DIE PARTEI's lawsuit aims to oblige the Bundestag administration to classify the donation as illegal and to impose corresponding sanctions on the CDU. The controversial question of whether a competing party can demand intervention from the administration was discussed in the hearing. However, the Bundestag administration sees the lawsuit as inadmissible and argues that the conditions for intervention are not met. Martin Sonneborn, who represents the plaintiff, was unable to attend the oral hearing for health reasons, which further complicated the proceedings.

In the coming hearings, the court wants to collect evidence about the circumstances of the controversial donations. However, it is uncertain whether a verdict will be made on the day of the trial.

Party financing in Germany

The discussion about this situation falls into the sensitive context of party financing in Germany. Parties receive different sources of income, including government funding, membership fees and private donations. There is no upper limit for donations in Germany, but consideration for donations is prohibited. Large donations of more than 10,000 euros must be listed in annual reports; Donations over 35,000 euros must be reported to the President of the Bundestag immediately.

Current events are part of a broad debate about the influence of the wealthy and companies on politics and raise fundamental questions about equal opportunities in political competition. Particularly before elections, such as the 2021 House of Representatives election, parties usually increase donations, which increases the pressure on transparency and party financing rules. In the past, this has led to discussions about possible caps and reforms.

The coming weeks will show what influence this procedure has on the political landscape in Berlin and whether there may be a reassessment of the existing rules on party financing. The administrative court has already dealt intensively with the admissibility of the lawsuit, which indicates the relevance of this issue.
For more information, see the reports from Berlin.de, rbb24 and bpb.de read up.