The Rosa-Luxemburg Foundation (RLS), a German organization associated with the Left party, has been declared an “undesirable organization” in Russia. The Russian General Prosecutor’s Office has justified the designation by stating that the foundation engages in programs and projects aimed at fostering protest sentiment, radicalizing youth and discrediting Russian state authorities.
Daniela Trochowski, the RLS’s managing director, expressed regret over the decision, describing it as a further escalation by the Russian government. She affirmed the foundation’s continued support for leftist opposition groups within Russia facing state repression.
The RLS is now the final German foundation affiliated with a political party to be labeled as “undesirable” in Russia. A series of similar designations have occurred over the past two years, beginning with the Green party-aligned Heinrich Böll Foundation in May 2022. Subsequent organizations to receive the designation include the SPD-affiliated Friedrich Ebert Foundation (March 2024), the FDP-affiliated Friedrich Naumann Foundation (April 2024), the CDU-affiliated Konrad Adenauer Foundation (August 2024) and the CSU-affiliated Hanns-Seidel Foundation (April 2025).
Following earlier actions, all Moscow offices of the aforementioned foundations were compelled to cease operations as of April 2022, after the Russian Justice Ministry revoked the legal basis for their continued work within the country.
Jan van Aken, the parliamentary group leader of the Left party, characterized the move as indicative of the Russian government’s fear of truth and criticism. The German Foreign Ministry has issued a strong condemnation of the designation, calling for its revocation and rejecting the decision.
