Responsibilities
Political mandate: The term "political mandate" refers to the question of which statements the constituted student body can and cannot make.
Although the Berlin Higher Education Act expressly states that the student body is to "represent the interests of students in higher education and society" and "to promote political education, a sense of civic responsibility and the willingness of its members to be actively tolerant and to stand up for fundamental and human rights on the basis of the constitutional order", the reality and case law are unfortunately different. The constituted student body is permitted to comment on "university policy" issues, but not on "general policy" issues. However, the limits to this are not defined anywhere, which is why a clear distinction between "university policy" and "general policy" issues is not possible.
Conclusion: No right to freedom of opinion, no right to freedom of the press, no right to academic freedom! Students are only allowed to concern themselves with their studies - nothing more!
The Department for the Political Mandate is responsible for pointing out the obvious discrepancy between reality and case law. It also deals with complaints against the constituted student body.