The Cabinet committee for the fight against racism and right-wing extremism was established in March 2020. The Federal Government adopted its final report on Wednesday. The final report was presented by the nominated chair of the committee, Federal Minister of the Interior, Building and Community, Horst Seehofer. In the wake of the appalling attacks in Halle and Hanau and the murder of Dr Walter Lübcke, the Federal Government thus reasserted its determination to fight racism, right-wing extremism, anti-Semitism and all other forms of hostility to specific groups.

Insights into the work of the committee

On 25 November 2020 the Cabinet committee presented an extensive list of measures, which was adopted by the Cabinet on 2 December 2020. In addition to a description of the 14-month-long endeavours of the committee, the final report sets out more details on the specific implementation of the 89 individual measures listed.

The final report of the Cabinet committee takes positive stock of the work of the committee:

• To fight racism, right-wing extremism, anti-Semitism and all other forms of hostility to specific groups, the Federal Government will provide funding of about one billion euros between 2021 and 2024 as well as additional funding of 150 million euros in the 2021 budget.
• Work has begun on implementing all 89 individual measures; each individual measure is to be implemented independently by the lead ministry specified in the list of measures.
• Through the work of the Cabinet committee, the Federal Government has made it clear, in addition to its activities to date, that fighting racism, right-wing extremism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, and all other forms of hostility towards specific groups is a top political priority, even at a time when the state and society are facing major pandemic-related challenges. Germany is a country of diversity.

Cornerstones for an Act to Strengthen and Promote Vigilant Democracy

The Federal Ministry for Family Affairs, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth and the Federal Ministry of the Interior, Building and Community have also elaborated the cornerstones for an Act to Strengthen and Promote Vigilant Democracy. They include measures to make democracy more resilient and to strengthen social cohesion. They are attached to the final report and were also adopted by the Cabinet.

The Act outlined in the cornerstones is to strengthen vigilant democracy and to encourage and support citizens in their positive attitudes to a free democratic basic order and their actions to support it. The cornerstones include the following:

• A legal basis is to be created for the work of the Federal Government in promoting democracy, preventing extremism and fostering diversity.
• The use of state funding in line with the objectives set out in the Basic Law or constitution is to be ensured in grant allocation procedures by requiring applicants to provide a separate written commitment to the free democratic basic order.
• Hate speech online is to be more rigorously combatted, and political education, media competence and social work online more strongly promoted.
• Analysis and combating new extremism is to be stepped up.
• There is to be a legal entitlement to undertake Federal Voluntary Service.

You will find more information on the website of the Federal Ministry of the Interior.