Berlin, 7 Dec 2022. Democracy projects in Thuringia are alarmed as a massive cutback in funding for democracy and human rights is imminent. This is evident from current amendments proposed by the CDU to the 2023 state budget draft. With the support of the FDP, “Citizens for Thuringia”, and the far-right Thuringian AfD, a new breach of democratic norms could occur, putting a large number of essential democracy and human rights projects at risk.
In light of the CDU’s proposed amendments to the state government’s current budget draft for the upcoming year, Thuringian democracy projects MOBIT (Mobile Counseling in Thuringia – for Democracy – against Right-Wing Extremism), IDZ (Institute for Democracy and Civil Society), and ezra (Counseling for Victims of Right-Wing, Racist, and Antisemitic Violence) have expressed deep concern:
“It is feared that the CDU, with the votes of the far-right Thuringian AfD, will once again breach democratic norms, leading to dramatic and unforeseeable consequences for projects that promote democracy and human rights. A radical cutback is looming,” explains Franz Zobel, project coordinator of the specialized victim counseling center ezra. The CDU’s proposed cuts mainly affect areas such as the Thuringian State Program for Democracy, Tolerance, and Openness, anti-discrimination efforts, integration, adult education, and gender equality. Just in mid-November, the CDU faction, with the votes of the far-right Thuringian AfD, passed a motion in parliament that prohibits the use of gender-inclusive language in public communication by the state parliament and government. IDZ director Dr. Axel Salheiser states: “At a time when our democracy is increasingly under attack, the CDU faction’s latest amendments send a fatal message, and the budget negotiations mark another step toward normalizing cooperation between the CDU and the AfD.”
Through the “Thuringian Conditions” reports, democracy projects annually highlight the rise of right-wing activities, racist and antisemitic violence, racism, discrimination, antisemitism, and growing support for anti-democratic attitudes and group-focused enmity. “We appeal to all democratic members of the Thuringian Parliament to take these evidence-based facts seriously and to understand democracy work as an ongoing task that must be supported and expanded. By allowing the far-right Thuringian AfD to decide on the CDU’s proposals for cutting funds for democracy work, integration, anti-discrimination, gender equality, and many other areas, they are essentially letting the fox guard the henhouse,” concludes Romy Arnold, project manager at MOBIT. Civil society in Thuringia will not accept such an attack on the already endangered democracy in the state.
The three projects provide counseling for civil society actors and victims of right-wing, racist, and antisemitic violence, as well as expert knowledge on the subject. They are (partially) funded by the Thuringian State Program for Democracy, Tolerance, and Openness (“DenkBunt”) and the federal program Demokratie Leben!. MOBIT is run by MOBIT e.V., IDZ by the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, and ezra by the Evangelical Church in Central Germany.