German Civic Education Agency Sets New Priorities After Leadership Change

The Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (BPB), Germany's federal agency for civic education, is restructuring its work after the resignation of its president, Sönke Rix, who left the post after five months for personal reasons in agreement with the interior ministry. With the agency temporarily leaderless, Vice‑President Volker Ullrich, a former Bundestag member for the CSU, is overseeing the transition.

The BPB announced it will refocus on its core mission, giving priority to established formats that address key future and stability issues such as state capacity, internal and external security, democratic resilience, economic and social foundations, and societal cohesion. It plans to increase attention to left‑wing extremism and Islamism, while discontinuing projects like the museum on the RAF‑abducted “Landshut” aircraft and cancelling study trips to Israel. The agency employs roughly 400 staff and succeeded former president Thomas Krüger, who retired in September 2025.