The review of organizations receiving funding from the federal “Democracy Living” programme is set to be expanded, said Education Minister Karin Prien (CDU) to the weekly “Wochentag”. She explained that sponsors are currently inspected internally against well‑known standards, and that from now on every new partner organization at the municipal level will also undergo this scrutiny.
Prien added that the German domestic intelligence service (Verfassungsschutz) will be consulted “on a case‑by‑case basis when it is useful”. The intelligence service will conduct its own assessment only if the reports from the federal and state authorities reveal relevant findings.
She dismissed accusations of a blanket suspicion of civil society groups as unfounded, remarking that the claim “has such that beard” and reaffirming her long‑held stance that public funds should go only to organisations that do not challenge the constitution.
The federal “Democracy Living” scheme supports projects across Germany, allocating €191 million for 2026. A quarter of the funds goes straight to the Länder, and Prien clarified that these funds are not subject to any separate inspection.