Ex-Neo-Nazi in Suhl Democracy Committee: Concern about funding!

Ex-Neo-Nazi in Suhl Democracy Committee: Concern about funding!

September 2, 2025 brings an unexpected turn in the local political landscape in Suhl. Patrick Fleischer, a former NPD member with a troubled past, was elected to a democracy monitoring committee that provides funding for the “Living Democracy!” program. should decide. This decision was met with considerable concern, particularly from foundation manager Timo Reinfrank of the Amadeu Antonio Foundation, who sees the credibility of the entire program at risk. Reinfrank warns of possible intimidation by people who reject basic democratic values. Belltower News reports about the election, which took place on August 27th with 18 votes to 12 in a secret vote.

Fleischer, who is currently active as an employee in Thomas Luhn's constituency, appeared at an NPD event in 2013 and called for solidarity for Ralf Wohlleben, who is connected to the NSU. At this event he was seen wearing a shirt with “BZH” printed on it, which is considered a meeting place among neo-Nazi strategists. He now sits on the committee that decides on the financing of initiatives to strengthen democracy. The “Live Democracy!” program, which has been running since 2015, was recently increased by Family Minister Lisa Paus to 182 million euros for the third phase. Tagesschau informs about this step, which, however, was not without criticism.

Civil society actions

The left-wing faction reacted with alarm to Fleischer's election. They described it as a loss for democracy to have an ex-neo-Nazi in such a position. However, the commitment of Heidemarie Schwalbe, a committed democrat who only received a few votes, is praiseworthy. The CDU is accused of having supported Fleischer, while CDU parliamentary group leader Lars Jähne described the request for a secret vote as a “mistake”. This situation is causing unrest and uncertainty among civil society activists in the region who are committed to democracy and tolerance.

The organizations MOBIT and the Alliance for Democracy and Tolerance have expressed their concerns about Fleischer's election. They fear that the influence of people like Fleischer on the funding projects could jeopardize the foundation's postulates. Reinfrank calls on the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs to prevent right-wing extremist influence and to design the funding conditions in such a way that democratic projects are not pushed into the background.

Uncertainties in the democracy support program

Another aspect that contributes to the confusion is the uncertainty surrounding funding practices. As the Tagesschau reports, the current funding notices are only valid for one year, which makes planning difficult for numerous NGOs. Many project coordinators report lost know-how and insecurities that have already led to terminations. This makes it clear: the uncertainty in the system drains the strength of civil society actors and puts NGOs in a bad light as employers.

In the political arena, where democracy should be at a premium, decisions seem to many to be just a side effect of political power play. The election of Patrick Fleischer not only raises questions about the integrity of the Democracy Monitoring Committee, but also about the future of the entire “Living Democracy!” program. It remains to be seen how the situation will develop and what measures the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs will take to secure basic democratic values.