The controversy surrounding the Family Businesses Association’s (Familienunternehmerverband) recent, albeit swiftly retracted, decision to lift restrictions on inviting members of the Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) to its events has ignited a broader debate about the boundaries of political engagement in Germany and the funding of conservative think tanks.
Historian and former chair of the CDU’s fundamental values commission, Andreas Rödder, has publicly criticized the intensity of the backlash against the association, accusing critics of exhibiting “left-green outrage reflexes” and highlighting the “opportunism of the economic elite”. Rödder argued that inviting parliamentarians from the leading opposition party to events should be considered a “democratic norm” and that exclusion risks being counterproductive.
The Family Businesses Association’s brief reversal followed significant public pressure after initially announcing the lifting of the AfD contact ban. This incident underscores a wider tension: the desire of business groups to foster dialogue, even with potentially controversial political actors, versus the societal expectation of upholding democratic values and distancing from parties perceived as undermining them.
The debate has further amplified scrutiny of Republik21 (R21), a conservative think tank led by Andreas Rödder and its funding. Green Party parliamentary group deputy Andreas Audretsch sharply condemned the substantial financial support R21 receives, reportedly secured by CDU/CSU parliamentary group leader Jens Spahn. He described this funding as “dangerous and oblivious to history” alleging the organization “actively facilitates discussions between the CDU/CSU and the AfD”. Left Party interior policy expert Clara Bünger echoed these concerns, arguing that R21 contributes to the “normalization of the AfD and the advancement of its authoritarian power ambitions” questioning how major parties like the SPD are enabling what she characterizes as a dangerous trend with taxpayer money.
Currently, R21 is slated to receive a public institutional grant of €250,000 in the federal budget, which the organization has indicated it will forgo. However, the possibility remains for R21 to apply for up to €500,000 annually over the next four years. This support, championed by the CDU/CSU parliamentary group and approved by coalition votes, represents a significant allocation of public funds towards a think tank perceived by some as blurring the lines between mainstream politics and the far-right, raising critical questions about the appropriate role of state funding in shaping the German political landscape.
