Education Germany Project #70476

Countering Hate - For a strong Democracy

by Amadeu Antonio Stiftung

Project Report | Sep 8, 2026
Project Report September 2026

By Anna Friedrich | Fundraising Manager

Dear supporter,

far-right parties are deliberately attacking funding programs for democracy projects and the organisations that support them, with the aim of weakening their work against racism, antisemitism and other forms of group-based hatred. In summer 2025, the AfD specifically targeted the federal program Demokratie leben! and the organisations it funds, while a regional association announced measures against other democracy funding programs. Civil society initiatives are increasingly being put under pressure through parliamentary inquiries, accusations and legal action.

This year, new federal guidelines have made these efforts easier. Federal funding for Partnerships for Democracy is now subject to approval by municipal councils, while applications and funding organisations are subject to additional scrutiny by the federal government. In Greiz, Bautzen and Salzwedel, key democracy projects have already lost their funding. The restructuring of Demokratie leben! is having a major impact: by the end of the year, more than 200 projects are set to lose their federal funding entirely – including prevention networks, victim counselling services and digital prevention initiatives. At the same time, the threat from the far right continues to grow.

Our ongoing work focuses on documenting these attacks, protecting affected initiatives and defending democratic spaces. Some examples of our current work include:

We have published a new guide to help organisations identify attacks at an early stage, counter disinformation and remain able to act under pressure.
Our scenario analysis examines the potential consequences of an AfD-led state government in Saxony-Anhalt.
We have published guidelines on how to respond effectively to common arguments used by AfD supporters while maintaining a clear democratic and humanist position.
We continue our journalistic work, reporting on current developments and providing background information on the far right in Germany. We investigate the networks and activities of far-right actors – in parliament and on the streets – and make these connections visible to the wider public.
We continue to address the growing threats facing queer communities through monitoring, advocacy, political education, direct funding and exchange with affected communities. Our aim is to ensure that people standing up against hatred do not have to do so alone.
To strengthen democracy and human rights in the digital sphere, we launched a new platform as part of our Good Gaming Support project. It provides gamers, influencers and educators with information about right-wing extremist content and strategies for effectively countering it.
We have also launched a new AI-powered chatbot that helps users respond to antisemitic and racist comments. The tool draws on years of our experience in moderation and training. It can suggest direct responses, help users develop moderation strategies for social media channels and point them towards relevant support services, for example in the event of a coordinated harassment campaign.

Learn more about our work and our current areas of focus:

Standing up to right-wing extremism and populism (German)

Our 2025 annual report will be available on this website from mid-September. It provides a detailed overview of our work and achievements over the past year. (German; an English summary is available on request.)

All of this work remains possible thanks to your continued solidarity and support. Together, we strengthen democracy where it matters most: in everyday life.

Warm regards from the Amadeu Antonio Foundation,
Anna

If you have follow-up questions, please do not hesitate to reach out at spenden@amadeu-antonio-stiftung.de

Links:

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May 11, 2026
Project Report May 2026

By Anna Friedrich | Fundraising Manager

Dear supporter,

Far-right violence and intimidation continue to escalate across Germany. In a recent surge in Cottbus, right-wing extremists attacked a pastor, threatened civil society actors in public, and vandalised a synagogue with Nazi symbols. These developments are not isolated incidents: 2025 saw the highest level of right-wing violence since 2016, with more than 1,500 violent offenses and over 41,000 politically motivated far-right crimes recorded nationwide. At the same time, democratic initiatives and organizations working against extremism are increasingly coming under political pressure, while essential federal funding programs such as “Demokratie leben!” face significant cuts.

Our ongoing work focuses on supporting local initiatives, strengthening democratic engagement, documenting right-wing violence, and raising awareness about the growing normalization of extremist rhetoric and attacks - online and offline. Through monitoring, advocacy, public education, and direct exchange with affected communities, we help protect democratic spaces and support those standing up against hate and intimidation. Recent democratic successes, such as the defeat of the AfD district candidate in Uckermark, also demonstrate the importance and impact of sustained local civic engagement.

Learn more about our work and recent areas of focus in this field here:

Standing up to right-wing extremism and populism (German language)

All of this work remains possible thanks to your continued solidarity and support. Together, we strengthen democracy where it matters most: in everyday life.

Warm regards from the Amadeu Antonio Foundation,
Anna

If you have follow-up questions, please do not hesitate to reach out at spenden@amadeu-antonio-stiftung.de

Links:

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Jan 12, 2026
Thank you for 2025!

By Anna Friedrich | Fundraising Manager

Dear supporter,

Your support has made a big difference in 2025 – empowering people who work every day to build a strong, solidarity-based democracy. You have helped defend democracy where it is under attack. And we can see more clearly than ever how necessary this is.

2025 has shown how much pressure our democracy is under. While those affected are confronted with racism and antisemitism on a daily basis and right-wing extremist violence continues to increase, we at the Amadeu Antonio Foundation are also experiencing political headwinds: the AfD has attempted to attack our democratic work and cut all state funding.

But at the same time, 2025 has shown us one thing: there are many of us. And we are strong when we stand together. The enormous wave of support we received after the AfD's attack – signatures on our petition, messages of solidarity, donations – touched us deeply and strengthened us. Thank you for being one of the people who take a stand.

With your donations we were able to support those affected by right-wing violence, finance more than 300 initiatives from democratic civil society that are firmly committed to opposing right-wing extremism, antisemitism, racism, and anti-feminism, and to promoting a solidary democratic society and grow our journalistic platform Belltower.News. In total, the editorial team has published 328 articles, background research, reports, and interviews in 2025. From weekly chronicles of right-wing and racist violence to in-depth analyses of right-wing symbolism and codes, from media and internet policy to queer and anti-racist articles, Belltower reaches an audience that is seriously engaged with democracy, civil courage, and human rights.

Belltower.News is only one example of our various work. Learn more about our work and recent areas of focus here:

Areas of work of the foundation (German language)

2026 needs solidarity. And courage.

One thing is clear: we will not be intimidated. Despite challenging circumstances, support will continue, help will be provided quickly, and solidarity will be strengthened.

Thank you for being part of our community. Thank you for taking a stand.
We wish you a happy new year!

Warm regards from the Amadeu Antonio Foundation,
Anna

If you have follow-up questions on our German publications or websites, please do not hesitate to reach out at spenden@amadeu-antonio-stiftung.de

Links:

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