A German politician, Felix Banaszak, has strongly criticized the inquiry by the Union’s parliamentary faction into the non-profit organizations’ public benefit. According to Banaszak, the inquiry is an attempt to restrict and threaten civil society in a cultural battle. This is a method known from countries like Hungary, which is drifting towards authoritarianism, he added.
The leader of the Green party also criticized the Union’s chancellor candidate, Friedrich Merz, for not being interested in the concerns of organizations that had demonstrated against the government. This, he said, is likely no coincidence.
Banaszak warned the Social Democratic Party against a coalition with the Union, saying that the SPD should ask itself how it can negotiate a coalition with Merz, who is cutting down everything that is important to social democrats.
The Union’s parliamentary faction had submitted a minor inquiry in the Bundestag, questioning the political neutrality and public benefit of numerous civil society organizations. Many of the affected associations reacted with outrage to the inquiry.