CDU Dominates Political Donations Ahead of 2025 Bundestag Election

New data reveals the CDU outpaces the SPD nearly tenfold in large donations, as parties gear up for a record-breaking election fundraising year.

The CDU received €5.37 million in large donations in 2024, nearly ten times the SPD's €550,001, according to newly published Bundestag data.
The threshold for large donations was lowered from €50,000 to €35,000 in March 2024, increasing transparency but complicating year-to-year comparisons.
The FDP leads former coalition partners in large donations with €2.77 million, followed by the Greens at €957,052, while the AfD received no large donations.
The BSW party, led by Sahra Wagenknecht, received the largest single donation of €4.09 million, pushing its total to €6.41 million, surpassing the CDU.
With the Bundestag election set for February 23, 2025, donation totals have already exceeded the €12.4 million raised during the 2021 election year.