Felix Klein, the Federal Government’s representative for Anti-Semitism, has voiced his support for Family Minister Karin Prien’s plan to revamp the “Demokratie leben” funding program. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post”, Klein stated that there is fundamentally nothing wrong with reviewing such a program to improve its efficiency. He criticized certain projects, claiming that some were acting in a self-referential manner and operating within an echo chamber that only reinforced itself, which he deemed an incorrect approach.
Klein also addressed the concern that projects combating anti-Semitism might be impacted by the changes. He confirmed that Prien had explicitly stated that the goal was not to make cuts, but rather to achieve improvements in efficiency. The Federal Government’s Anti-Semitism Officer expressed trust in this direction, believing that better networking between organizations is vital. He highlighted the potential for NGOs fighting anti-Semitism to collaborate with institutions like theaters, the volunteer fire department, or the popular solidarity groups. Klein concluded by adding that he was confident that organizations doing genuinely good work would continue to be considered in the future allocation of funds.
