Germany's 'Democracy Live' program faces funding cuts and scrutiny

The federal "Democracy Live" (Demokratie leben!) initiative, launched in 2015, receives around €190 million annually, including for 2026. Critics have accused the programme of lacking transparency, favoring left‑wing groups, and of channeling funds to organizations flagged by the domestic intelligence service as extremist.

Education Minister Karin Prien announced that about 200 projects will be terminated early and that future funding will shift toward schools, voluntary fire brigades and sports clubs, while retaining partnership projects that distribute money to municipalities. The move has drawn criticism from publicist Stephan Anpalagan, who warns that reducing support for civil‑society diversity initiatives could have harmful effects on democratic resilience.