Over the past few weeks, protesters have taken to the streets in their hundreds of thousands to protest against the Christian Democrats (CDU) after they voted alongside the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on proposals for stricter migration policies. Demonstrators argue that this has broken down the “firewall” that has long existed in Germany to separate traditional parties from the far-right.

Demonstrations were organized by a range of NGOs, including “Omas gegen Rechts” (Grannies against the Right), environmental group NABU, or “München ist bunt” (Munich is Diverse). These organizations are partly financed by state subsidies and are eligible for tax breaks, although they are legally permitted to address social issues but not to take party-political sides.

The CDU and CSU argue that some NGOs have violated this rule with their protests, due to which the CDU/CSU finance expert, Mathias Middelberg, has announced that he would scrutinize federal support programs and potentially look to cut them altogether. The conservative bloc has also submitted a 32-page parliamentary request for information to the federal government on the issue. This inquiry mostly focuses on the involvement of 17 NGOs in the protests.

The conservatives base their case on the fact that these demonstrations were not charitable but politically one-sided and were directed specifically against the CDU. However, proponents of the demonstrations argue that it is not necessary to be neutral on political issues, just not to campaign for a specific party.

The GFF, a civil rights organization, supports those opposing the stance taken by conservatives in parliament. They argue that taking a stance against unconstitutional practices by parties is desirable and in line with the German constitution’s commitment to open democratic discourse. The Reporters Without Borders (RSF) have criticized conservative actions as an attempt to intimidate civil society voices.

The debate over state support for charity organizations is causing a rift between the CDU/CSU and its potential coalition partners, the Social Democrats (SPD). Following the February 23 elections, SPD’s parliamentary leader Lars Klingbeil accused the CDU/CSU of “foul play,” but the conservative parliamentary leader, Thorsten Frei, defended the scrutiny as normal and necessary.

Source: https://www.dw.com/en/germany-conservatives-scrutinize-state-support-for-ngos/a-71794579?maca=en-rss-en-all-1573-rdf