Nina Hauer, formerly the Parliamentary Managing Director for the SPD parliamentary group, is reportedly set to become the new president of the Federal Agency for Civic Education (Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung). This announcement comes from government circles, as reported by the “Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland”. Although the SPD holds the right to propose a candidate within the federal government, the suggestion will be formally submitted to the Federal Cabinet by Federal Minister of the Interior, Alexander Dobrindt (CSU), which will ultimately make the final decision. Sources suggest that the selection has achieved consensus within the coalition parties.
Hauer, who is 58, served as a member of the Bundestag from 1998 to 2009. Prior to that, she worked as a teacher and later returned to the profession. Since 2017, she has been leading a secondary school in Berlin, giving her extensive experience in both educational and political instruction. She has also been a member of the Advisory Board for the Senator for Education of Berlin since 2020. If appointed, Hauer would be the first woman to lead the Federal Agency for Civic Education.
Government circles have noted that democracy is under increasing pressure-threatened by extremists from within and by disinformation from external sources. This makes the promotion of awareness regarding political participation and the strengthening of democratic civil society even more critical.
Thomas Krüger (SPD), the long-serving president of the Federal Agency for Civic Education, retired in September 2025 after a 25-year tenure. Sönke Rix, a former SPD Bundestag member, took over the position on March 1, and Volker Ullrich, who had been a CSU member of the Bundestag until 2025, was appointed his deputy. However, Rix subsequently stepped down from the post at the end of July due to personal reasons.
The Agency, which employs over 400 people and has its headquarters in Bonn with branches in Berlin and Gera, remains unsettled due to personnel vacancies and internal reorganizations. Furthermore, insiders suggest that the agency, which has historically leaned towards social democratic views, may be steered toward a different, more conservative path under the leadership of Dobrindt and Ullrich. This shift is believed by some to have contributed to Rix’s decision to resign.
