City Files Lawsuit Against 2022 Census Decision, Offering Opposing Arguments
In a remarkable turn of events, several municipalities in Germany, including the cities of Fulda and Halle (Saale), have taken legal action against their respective state statistical offices due to discrepancies in census population figures.
The crux of the matter lies in the population estimates made by the statistical offices. For instance, the State Statistical Office (SLA) of Hesse determined a population of 226,589 persons through a census estimate on May 15, 2022, while the city's registration office recorded a population of 242,860 at the same time.
Mayor Dr. Alexander Vogt of Halle (Saale) has been vocal about his concerns, criticising the use of these estimated figures by public institutions, including those of the state. He argues that this practice causes significant damage to the city's image and may lead to financial strain, potentially hindering the city's ability to fulfil its tasks.
The city's subsequent plausibility checks and the initiated action "Halle (Saale) counts itself!" confirmed the city's assumption: The census numbers are not plausible, while those from the registration office are up-to-date, realistic, and very precise.
Halle (Saale) is not alone in its stance. Last year, the city set a pioneering example with its action "Halle counts itself," and since then, more than 40 municipalities in Hesse have filed objections against the census population figures. Similarly, around 30 municipalities and regional bodies in Saxony-Anhalt, including the city of Halle (Saale), published the "Halberstadt Declaration" in May 2025, demanding that the data from municipal registration offices be used as the basis for Financial Equalization Act (FAG) allocations, not census results.
In Baden-Württemberg, 334 municipalities have filed similar objections. However, the search results do not provide direct information on how many cities in Germany, besides Halle (Saale) and Fulda, have filed objections or lawsuits against census population figures related to the Financial Equalization Act allocations.
The city council of Halle (Saale) has confirmed the lawsuit with a large majority in a meeting on June 25, 2025. The city is suing the Administrative Court of Halle against a decision made by the SLA on May 19, 2025, regarding the determination of the official population as of May 1, 2022.
If the decisions are upheld, the city of Halle (Saale) would no longer be able to fully fulfil its own and delegated tasks, as the state no longer provides sufficient funds to supplement its own revenues for these tasks (§ 1 Abs. 2 S. 1 FAG LSA). This reduced allocation contradicts the goal of the FAG LSA to equip municipalities with adequate financial resources for their tasks (§ 1 Abs. 1 S. 1 FAG LSA).
The city would lose around 11 million euros annually from all its entitled allocations according to the FAG due to the SLA decisions. Mayor Vogt states that the city cannot accept the consequences of these decisions, as they harm the city in the long term.
This ongoing legal battle underscores the importance of accurate population data and the potential impact of discrepancies on municipal finances and operations. As the case progresses, it will be interesting to see how the courts rule and whether other cities will follow suit in challenging census population figures.
The ongoing legal dispute in Halle (Saale) and Fulda, as well as other municipalities in Germany, highlights the significance of accurate population data in policy-and-legislation, particularly in relation to financial allocations and the capacity of cities to carry out their tasks effectively. This battle in the realm of politics, rooted in disagreements over census population figures, showcases the general-news value of examining the accuracy and implications of such data.
