Born in 1953, lawyer and journalist Heribert Prantl writes for Süddeutsche Zeitung. An ardent advocate of liberalism, open borders and the rule of law, he has been in charge of the Munich daily's home desk since 1995. His op-ed pieces, essays and books have won him several awards. At one ceremony, former chancellor Gerhard Schröder described him as "the third chamber of the Constitutional Court.".