Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser’s visit to the Federal Center for Civic Education (bpb) in Bonn is more than just a routine appearance. In times of increasing social division and global crises, political education is becoming a central instrument for securing democracy. The bpb, an integral part of the German educational landscape, has had the task of imparting democratic values and political education for decades. But it is precisely this task that is coming under pressure – due to limited financial resources and constant calls for austerity measures.
In the midst of these debates, Faeser made it clear in a press conference: There is an urgent need to invest in political education, especially in times of crisis. She spoke out clearly against cuts and explained that she was personally committed to ensuring that programs such as “Cohesion through Participation” were not only maintained but expanded. “We have increased the budget from 12 to 17 million euros,” she said, pointing out the importance of these funds for projects that work directly to strengthen social cohesion.
Faeser made no secret of the fact that political education needed to be further developed, especially in the digital space. Platforms like TikTok are now central places for opinion formation, especially among young people. “We have to be where the people are, and that also means massively expanding digital formats,” she said. The bpb plays an important role here in order to appeal to young people in particular and to sensitize them to political issues.
Another central point of the conversation was the discussion with the AfD. Faeser made it clear that a ban procedure was not the right way. Rather, the party must be disenchanted and the true consequences of its political agenda revealed. “It’s about making it clear to people what AfD policy really means: longer working hours, tougher social conditions and a return to outdated role models,” she explained.
Thomas Krüger, the President of the bpb, used the visit to present the new location and the bpb:media center to the minister. He expressed his delight at the visit and underlined the importance of political education for society. “We come from Bonn, this is the right place for us, and this is where we will remain with our headquarters,” said Krüger. He hopes that many citizens will follow Faeser’s example and visit the media center to find out about the work of the bpb.
Nancy Faeser’s visit to the bpb made one thing clear: political education is not a marginal topic. It is an indispensable building block for protecting and strengthening democracy. Especially in times of disinformation and increasing populism, the bpb is an indispensable instrument for informing and enabling the population to actively participate in democratic processes. But this can only succeed if the financial resources are available – and Faeser has made it clear that she is ready to fight for it.
