The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party has received its largest-ever single donation of €1.5 million, reigniting discussions about campaign financing regulations in Germany.
Historic Donation
The donation, made by Winfried Stöcker, a multimillionaire medical entrepreneur, marks a significant boost for the party as Germany heads into elections on February 23. Stöcker, previously fined in 2021 for running an unauthorized COVID-19 vaccination campaign using a self-developed jab, has drawn attention for his controversial political affiliations.
The €1.5 million contribution dwarfs the AfD’s previous highest single-donor amount of €35,000. While entirely legal, the donation has sparked concerns over the influence of wealth in German politics.
Campaign Financing in Germany
German political parties fund their campaigns through a mix of state subsidies, membership fees, and private or corporate donations. State funding, which accounts for over a third of party revenue, is determined by a party’s electoral performance and membership contributions. Smaller parties, although eligible for state funds, often struggle to compete with the financial resources of established players like the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democratic Party (SPD).
Private donations, while smaller in scale, remain a vital source of income. Unlike many European Union countries, Germany imposes no cap on the size of individual or corporate contributions. Donations above €35,000 must be reported to the Bundestag, with the donor’s details made public. Contributions between €10,000 and €35,000 are disclosed in annual reports, though these are published with a two-year delay.
Calls for Reform
The absence of a donation cap has long been a point of contention among NGOs and transparency advocates. Critics argue that the current system allows wealthy individuals and corporations to exert undue influence on the political process.
Aurel Eschmann from the NGO Lobby Control described the AfD donation as a “worrying development,” highlighting the risks of unchecked financial influence. “We urgently need a cap on party donations in Germany that closes this possibility for undemocratic influence,” he told Euronews.
Efforts to reform campaign financing, including proposals to lower disclosure thresholds and introduce caps, have faced resistance. A previous push for stricter rules was blocked by the CDU during the tenure of the SPD-Green-Free Democratic Party coalition.
Controversies in Campaign Financing
Germany’s political financing system has faced scrutiny in recent years. The AfD itself was previously accused of benefiting from an illegal €6 million advertising campaign via a Swiss shell company. Similarly, both the CDU and SPD have been implicated in controversies involving undeclared donations below reporting thresholds.
As Germany’s election approaches, the record donation to the AfD underscores ongoing concerns about transparency and the need for stricter regulations in political financing.
