Who pays? Who receives? – How our tax laws work

„Let’s Talk About Law“—the interactive discussion series kicks off with a new installment at the Forum Recht Foundation’s Leipzig location.

Leipzig. With a new issue of the interactive discussion series „Let’s Talk About Law“ The program kicks off its new season at the Leipzig location of the Forum Recht Foundation. On Wednesday, April 15, 2026, at 7:00 p.m., this time the topic is taxes. Our guests are Thomas Eigenthaler, Honorary Chairman of the German Tax Workers' Union, and Dr. Eugen Mehlhaf, Attorney Specializing in Tax Law.

From value-added tax to inheritance tax to tobacco tax—hardly any other topic permeates our daily lives as thoroughly as taxes. They serve to finance the national budget, but are also used specifically to influence behavior. Societally, the primary concern is often that tax dollars are misused or even wasted. The tax system is frequently perceived as opaque and unfair.

In a joint discussion with Host Susann Böttcher (MDR Aktuell) the lawyers Thomas Eigenthaler and Dr. Eugen Mehlhaf A closer look at the tax system: What guidelines does the Constitution set for tax law, and what fundamental principles shape it? What does „tax justice“ mean from a legal perspective? Would a wealth tax be constitutionally permissible or even required, and if so, is there a constitutional upper limit on the tax burden? These and other fascinating questions will be explored in a joint discussion. The audience is cordially invited to join the discussion and contribute their own questions to the conversation.

The Lawyer Thomas Eigenthaler He worked for many years as the head of a tax office in the tax administration and served as an expert advisor to the Bundestag’s Finance Committee on various tax law issues. He also served for many years as the full-time national chairman of the German Tax Union, where he remains honorary chairman to this day. Dr. Eugen Mehlhaf He is a certified tax law attorney, tax consultant, and partner at [firm name]. There, he specializes in advising on international tax law, corporate tax law, and disputes with tax authorities. He is also an adjunct lecturer in tax law at the University of Osnabrück.

The conversation will take place at 7:00 p.m. in the Forum Recht Foundation in Leipzig (Universitätsstraße 20). Admission is free. Registration is not required. The foundation cordially invites the audience to join the discussion and contribute their own questions.

Let's Talk About Law

Since 2025, the Forum Recht Foundation has been regularly hosting the „Let’s Talk About Recht“ discussion series at its venues in Karlsruhe and Leipzig. The guests are prominent figures from various fields of law who discuss their day-to-day work and share their perspectives on current legal topics—ranging from labor law and tenancy law to freedom of speech. The discussions are recorded and subsequently released as a live-on-tape podcast.