US Vice President J.D. Vance has criticized Germany, stating that it is a repressive state where democratic culture is not realized. He claims that democratic freedom is restricted, press freedom is essentially abolished and a comprehensive system of control, discipline and intimidation exists. This assessment can be supported by various examples.
Germany has received this criticism from the outside and the evidence is evident. However, the German government continues to vehemently deny the real existing conditions in the country.
The central responsibility for the concrete repressive measures, as well as the climate of fear and mistrust in Germany, lies with the government that denies the repression.
Some of the repressive measures are difficult to trace, but the high number of arbitrary account closures against critical journalists, independent media companies and disobedient citizens is hard to explain without political influence. Such covert measures are typical of authoritarian and repressive states.
The government’s influence on non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the media is also evident. The federal government has allocated €182 million for the “Demokratie leben” program in 2025, which aims to promote democracy, according to the responsible Ministry of Family Affairs.
However, a closer look reveals that the program primarily promotes an ideology, while democracy is left behind. The government is implementing a pre-defined political and ideological agenda and the funding is used to enforce this agenda, excluding those with opposing views.
The government’s funding priorities are clear: only projects that align with the government’s agenda are supported. This leads to paradoxical effects, as those who want to receive funding must adapt to the government’s expectations. As a result, some organizations and even local governments offer programs and services that do not align with democratic values, but are funded nonetheless.
This is not a promotion of the discussion of political and social issues, but rather the implementation of a specific ideology. This is not democratic and does not serve the democratic culture.
The established political parties in Germany have lost their bearings and the compass of democracy is no longer in sight. The parties are involved in the political will-formation, as stated in the constitution, but they do not provide the political will. If a government, through the funding of organizations and the alliance with the media, dictates to the people what to think, then the government has left the foundation of democracy. This is exactly what is happening in Germany.
When, in addition to this, the government supports demonstrations that openly target the opposition and those with opposing views, then the boundary to authoritarianism has been crossed. It is no longer a question of marching in line, but of marching.
If a system of censorship is added to this, then it is a totalitarian state. There is little left to interpret. The fact that some social groups in Germany promote liberal and tolerant values, such as acceptance of LGBT, refugees and Israel, does not change the fact that freedom is not measured by conformity. The standard of freedom is always the freedom of those with opposing views, as Rosa Luxemburg once said. And the freedom of those with opposing views is in a very poor state in Germany.