# Claim table — Alice Weidel “fishing licence” quote

| Claim | Evidence label | Notes |
|---|---:|---|
| Facebook says Alice Weidel said: “A country that punishes for fishing without a license, but not for crossing its borders illegally, is a country governed by idiots.” | **Mostly true, missing context** | Weidel repeated the German version in a Bundestag speech on May 16, 2018. |
| The quote is Weidel's own original line. | **Not supported** | In the official protocol, she introduced it as a quote from former Czech president Zeman. |
| Zeman said it. | **Contradicted by later reporting** | DPA reported that Zeman's spokesperson said he never said it; the origin is unclear. |
| Similar wording existed before Weidel's 2018 speech. | **Supported** | DPA, Snopes and PolitiFact describe similar English wording circulating in 2013. |
| Germany punishes fishing without a licence but does not punish illegal border crossing. | **Rhetorical / oversimplified** | Germany does regulate fishing licences, but the immigration-law half is not literally true as a blanket statement: Germany's Interior Ministry says illegal entry and residence are punishable, and Residence Act §95 covers unlawful entry under §14. |
| The post is useful as a current immigration-policy prompt. | **Fair as opinion, not fresh news** | The quote is from 2018 and is now being recirculated as a social-media meme. |