Berlin is working on Germany's first state-level law to support democracy

The government of the state of Berlin is preparing a pioneering state-level law for supporting democracy, the first of its kind in Germany. The project is led by Social Affairs Senator Cansel Kiziltepe from the Social Democratic Party of Germany. The main goal of the legislation is to create permanent and transparent legal frameworks for funding civil society organizations that are involved in promoting democratic values, civic education, and countering extremism. The law is to ensure financial stability for these entities, which is crucial for planning long-term projects. This initiative is a direct response to the growing threats to democracy observed in recent years, including verbal and physical attacks on individuals actively engaged in social and political life. The draft bill has already been submitted for inter-ministerial consultations. The governing coalition in Berlin, composed of the SPD, the Greens, and the Left, assumes that the state Senate will adopt the final version of the law in July 2026. If the law comes into force, Berlin would become the first state in the Federal Republic of Germany to have such a legal act at the local level. Since reunification in 1990, Germany has been a federal republic in which powers are divided between the federal government (Bund) and the sixteen states (Länder). These states have broad legislative powers in many areas, including culture, education, and social affairs, allowing them to shape their own policies within the federal system.