Overview

• The CDU/CSU has submitted a parliamentary inquiry with 551 questions scrutinizing the neutrality of state-funded NGOs and their compliance with requirements for tax benefits.
• Organizations like Correctiv, Netzwerk Recherche, and Neue Deutsche Medienmacher*innen are under scrutiny for their significant reliance on public funding and perceived political alignment.
• The inquiry highlights concerns about the use of taxpayer money to support NGOs that may engage in politically partisan activities, such as anti-CDU demonstrations during elections.
• Critics argue the inquiry is a veiled attack on civil society, while proponents claim it is a necessary step to ensure transparency and adherence to the principles of neutrality in public funding.
• The debate underscores broader tensions over the role of NGOs in political advocacy and the boundaries of state support for civil society initiatives.