Germany Votes, Greece Watches: Germany’s Political Foundations and the Bundestag Elections

They bear the names of historical figures who have shaped Germany’s political and social landscape. For decades, they have been pillars of Germany’s foreign relations: the political foundations—party-affiliated organizations with global influence. These foundations have long established themselves in Greece, where they have worked closely with local partners for years—sometimes decades—to foster German-Greek relations.

Known informally as “party foundations,” these organizations maintain close ideological ties to their respective parties. However, they are neither structurally nor financially part of them. Their relationship is primarily ideological, though personnel overlaps occasionally occur. Germany’s political foundations are publicly funded, and their legal mandate is to promote political education, strengthen democratic processes, and facilitate political dialogue—both domestically and internationally.

Until recently, all German political foundations maintained offices in Greece. However, the Friedrich Naumann Foundation, affiliated with the Free Democratic Party (FDP), withdrew last spring. The Desiderius Erasmus Foundation, aligned with the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD), is a special case. After years of debate, the German Bundestag passed a law in 2023 regulating the funding of political foundations. Under this law, a party is only eligible for federal funding for its affiliated foundation if it has been elected to the Bundestag for three consecutive terms. Since the AfD is currently serving only its second term in parliament, it remains ineligible for state funding.

One might assume that these foundations intensify their political work ahead of Germany’s federal elections slated for February 23. However, this is hardly the case. A so-called “distancing rule” explicitly prohibits them from engaging in any form of electoral campaigning, whether direct or indirect. This neutrality requirement applies to their domestic and international operations alike – and thus also all programs in this part of the world.

“Because we are legally prohibited from campaigning for the parties we are ideologically close to, we must approach the Bundestag elections with great caution,” explains Regine Schubert, project director of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation (FES), which is affiliated with the Social Democratic Party (SPD), in Athens. “Our projects neither directly nor indirectly address the elections.”

This policy applies to all political foundations. Nevertheless, their Greek partners have shown growing interest in the political landscape of Germany. “Greece is paying close attention to developments in Germany—not just because of bilateral relations, but also from a European perspective, with an eye on the future of the EU,” says Michalis Goudis, representative of the Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBS), which is aligned with the Greens. HBS is the only German political foundation not based in Athens but in Thessaloniki, where it also oversees regional projects.

Jenny Kapellou, the long-time director of the Hanns Seidel Foundation (HSS), affiliated with the Christian Social Union (CSU), confirms the heightened interest in Germany’s political and economic developments. Both the HSS and the much larger Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), aligned with the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), maintain close ties to Greece’s ruling party, New Democracy.

Kapellou recently traveled to Germany with a delegation of young Greek politicians. “The discussions were dominated by concerns over the rise of the AfD and migration issues,” she reports.

Marian Wendt, head of the KAS Office in Athens and a former CDU Bundestag member, is a sought-after interlocutor. In discussions with political allies and former colleagues in Germany, he regularly explains why Greece’s economy has improved since New Democracy came to power. In Greece, Wendt is valued as a political consultant, particularly when it comes to political communication and, as he tells us for this article, the impact of the German electoral system on election outcomes. “From my perspective, Greek politics can learn the importance of clear and direct communication,” Wendt emphasizes. “The governing coalition in Berlin collapsed due to a lack of mutual understanding and the chancellor’s failure to mediate.” His advice to Greek partners: “If Greece forms coalition governments in the future, this is a crucial lesson for any prime minister to keep in mind.”

Since the tenure of Alexis Tsipras and his SYRIZA party, Greece has gained increasing importance for the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation (RLS), affiliated with Germany’s Left Party (Die Linke). The foundation prioritizes continuity and maintains an office in Athens. “In our workshops, publications, and delegation visits, we continually explore various aspects of German-Greek relations,” says Boris Kanzleiter, head of RLS in Greece. “Our audience in Greece is deeply concerned about the rise of right-wing extremism and the AfD.”

Much like in Germany, political debates in Greece frequently reference the rise of the AfD and migration issues. This reality is also evident in the daily exchanges between German political foundations and their Greek partners. “In Greece, there is keen attention to how the future German government will position itself on migration. The same applies to its stance on the AfD—especially given the historical relationship between the two countries,” says Regine Schubert of the Friedrich Ebert Foundation.

Concerns that migration could spark renewed tensions between Athens and Berlin are also palpable in other foundation offices. Still, Michalis Goudis of the Heinrich Böll Foundation urges caution against overreaction: “Bilateral Greek German relations are of strategic importance and are not easily shaken by the outcome of any one election in either country.” As a representative of a foundation aligned with Germany’s foreign minister’s party, Goudis’ perspective carries weight—at least until a new government is formed after the Bundestag elections.

What happens after that remains to be seen.

Dr. Ronald Meinardus is a Senior Research Fellow at the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP). He served as the Friedrich Naumann Foundation’s (FNF) project director in Athens from 1990 to 1993.