According to the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI), the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV) reviewed nearly 400 organizations and individuals in 2025. These reviews covered entities that had applied for public funding or were supported through federal programs or prize awards. This information was revealed through a response from the BMI to a parliamentary inquiry made by Clara Bünger, a Member of the Bundestag for the Left party, and was reported by news outlets from the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland” (Saturday editions).
During the past year, a total of 218 organizations and 178 individuals were scrutinized under what is termed the “Haber procedure”. This practice has recently faced criticism, notably after Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer excluded three bookstores from the German Bookstore Prize following such a background check by the intelligence agency.
The BMI stated that in 2025, the BfV reported “findings relevant to the protection of the constitution” in ten cases concerning individuals and in 34 cases concerning organizations. These reports are transmitted via the BMI to the ministry that makes the original request, after which further details may be requested. Overall, the BfV provided information in 38 instances that went beyond merely confirming the presence of “findings relevant to the protection of the constitution”.
Clara Bünger, the political spokesperson for the Left parliamentary group, criticized the inspections, telling the press that “the Ministry of the Interior is conducting a covert campaign against civil society”. She also accused Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) of abusing the intelligence service “as a state vetting office for unpopular beliefs”. Bünger demanded an immediate end to this “backroom checking practice” asserting, “We need transparency instead of state mistrust against everyone who defends democracy”.