Scandal in Brandenburg: Tax money for AfD-related rhetoric seminars!

Scandal in Brandenburg: Tax money for AfD-related rhetoric seminars!

Schönwalde-Glien, Deutschland - In Brandenburg, a foundation promotion causes excitement: the country has almost 100,000 euros in recent years to the AfD-related "Erasmus Foundation Brandenburg e.V." paid out. This information comes from a response from the Potsdam Ministry of the Interior to a "small request" by BSW MP Sven Hornauf. The funding flowed for rhetoric seminars and events that were closely linked to AfD MPs. For example, Götz Frömming, AfD MP for Ostprignitz-Ruppin, carried out an event in Schönwalde-Glien, which was supported with around 2,000 euros.

In the past few months, the AfD has also organized several events to change the State School Act, which have been funded with over 8,000 euros. Another essential support, which was almost 30,000 euros, was provided for a study on climate development in Brandenburg, which was carried out by critics of the man-made climate change theory. Hornauf sees a clear contradiction in this financial support. He questioned the financing of right-wing extremist endeavors from public funds and pointed out that the Erasmus Foundation was considered "non-funding" at the federal level.

funding criteria and legal disputes

The state government argues that the Erasmus Foundation fulfills the required requirements for grants and is not classified as an extremist association, although the AfD is observed as a "secured right-wing extremist" by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution. However, critics believe that the funding is nevertheless questionable and that the political landscape could influence. Sven Hornauf was concerned about the current practice and the resulting financial resources for the Afd.

This conflict about the funding is not new. In 2019, the Bundestag concluded the AfD-close Desiderius Erasmus Foundation (DES) of state support. However, a judgment of the Federal Constitutional Court (BVerfG), which was negotiated on February 19, 2025, found that this exclusion was illegal. The AfD claimed additional payments of 900,000 euros each for the years 2019, 2020 and 2021.

equal opportunities in political competition

The Federal Constitutional Court realized that the non -consideration of that of the 2019 budgetary law violates the right of the AfD for equal opportunities in political competition. The decision emphasizes that a special parliamentary law is necessary to justify this intervention, but this is not available. This raises questions about the legal basis for the funding practice of the political foundations. The state government has developed corresponding guidelines for foundation financing to fix these defects.

The funding situation represents a field of tension in which legal, political and social aspects are interwoven. Ultimately, it remains to be seen how the criticism and the legal decisions listed will affect the future financing of the parties and foundations. This topic will surely provide some discussions, both in the political area and in public.

For further information on the background of this topic and the legal aspects, we refer to the reports of , lto as well as the press releases of the Federal Constitutional Court .