In the run-up to the election of the 21st German Bundestag (German federal parliament) on 23 February 2025, FUEN has addressed a letter to the political parties in Germany. Our aim is to ensure that the concerns of the autochthonous national minorities and ethnic groups in Germany, the German minorities abroad and minority policy in the European context are firmly anchored in the future government programme.

The coalition agreement of the current federal government has already shown that the concerns of the autochthonous national minorities can be taken into account. Particularly noteworthy here is the explicit support for our Minority SafePack Initiative (MSPI) to strengthen the protection of minorities at the European level. The importance of the cultural heritage of expellees (Vertriebene), resettlers (Aussiedler) and late resettlers (Spätaussiedler) has also been recognised.

Unfortunately, there is no mention of Germany's special obligation towards the German minorities abroad, who suffered greatly from the consequences of the Second World War. In the CEE and CIS states, they were exposed to post-war terror and experienced linguistic and cultural discrimination for decades, leading to various long-term consequences.

The autochthonous national minorities and ethnic groups in Germany – the Danes, Frisians, Sorbs, as well as the German Sinti and Roma – are an indispensable part of the country's cultural diversity. At the same time, the German minorities abroad act as bridge-builders between their home countries and Germany. Clear political signals and concrete measures are needed to strengthen their importance.

However, minority issues are not equally present in all parties' election programmes for the upcoming federal election, some of which are still in the draft stage. It is therefore all the more important that these concerns are taken into account in the future coalition agreement or government programme.

In our letter, we called on the parties to include the following points in their respective political agendas:

1. Minority protection in Germany: Measures to strengthen the political and social participation, visibility and promotion of the autochthonous national minorities and ethnic groups

2. Support for German minorities abroad: Securing and expanding financial support, strengthening their role as bridge-builders, promoting German-language education and culture for German minorities, and increased support for the German cultural heritage in the CEE countries and in Central Asia

3. European minority policy: Positioning Germany as a pioneer in the implementation of the Minority SafePack Initiative and strengthening the dialogue between national minorities, political decision-makers and civil society at the level of the European Union; improving the implementation of the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities and the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages.

In addition, we sent election checkstones to the political parties in Germany in December of last year to find out their positions on key issues of minority protection. The election checkstones can be viewed here (in German).

FUEN also calls for the continuation of the Parliamentary Group on Minorities in the German Bundestag (Parlamentskreis Minderheiten im Deutschen Bundestag) in the next legislative period. This body has played an important role in the past in making the concerns of minorities more visible and in supporting them politically. Its continuation would be a strong signal for the commitment of the German Bundestag in the field of minority protection.

Furthermore, we consider it appropriate to establish a subcommittee in the Committee on Internal Affairs and Community of the German Bundestag for the concerns of the autochthonous national minorities and ethnic groups in Germany as well as the German minorities abroad.

With all these measures, we want to ensure that the protection of minorities and the minority policy in Germany are not only maintained but further strengthened in the coming legislative period. FUEN will continue to actively support this process and advocate for the concerns of the minorities in Germany and Europe.

We would also like to point out that on 16 January, the Minority Council of the four autochthonous national minorities and ethnic groups in Germany presented its priorities and key concerns for the 2025 Bundestag election. These are summarised in a policy paper (in German).